Beaverlodge pushes province for new municipal hospital

Doris McFarlanehas waited nearly a decade to see 22 acres of land she donated to the town of Beaverlodge, Alta., used for a new hospital.

"If there's one thing I'd like to do before I get under the ground, it's see the ground turn for a new hospital,"McFarlanetold CBC News.

Now 95 years old, McFarlane arrivedin the northwest Alberta community in 1946, a 23-year-old nursing graduate from Nova Scotia.

"I had no idea what a northern small hospital was likeuntil I got on a train to come to a place calledBeaverlodge, Alberta."

'If there's one thing I'd like to do before I get under the ground, it's see the ground turn for a new hospital.'- Doris McFarlane, retired nurse

When the town opened itsmunicipal hospital in 1956, McFarlane was one of the first nurses to work there.

"We've been so fortunate to have good doctors...So many places can't have doctors because they don't have a facility."

More than 60 years later, the old hospital still stands. McFarlanehas since retired and moved into a seniors' home.

After her husband died about 10 years ago,McFarlanedecided to give up their property. She fielded dozens of offers from developers but said she didn't want to see her family home turned into a gas station.

"I was not going to have that."

Instead, the lifelong nurse decided to donate herland to the town, which was negotiating with the province for a new hospital.

"Everybody was so desperate for one and I had this property and it's a good location,"McFarlanesaid. "They couldn't just be asking to have a facility if they didn't have a proper place.

"We need it so badly," she added."We're not very big, but we're mighty special."

McFarlanedonated the land on the condition that it beused fora hospital or similar medical facility.

'They've been Band-Aiding it together'

Beaverlodge'shospital opened in 1956 and is the oldest health facility in the provinceowned and operated by Alberta Health Services.

The 62-year-old building is staffed by seven physicians and 29 full-timenurses, who seean average of 1,400 patients each month, according toAHS.

Last year, nearly 17,000 patients came through the hospital.

BeaverlodgeMayorGary Rycroftsaid he first met with an Alberta health minister about replacing the hospital in 1986.

"This is not just the current government's problem," Rycroft said. "There were structural problems with the hospital at that time and they've been Band-Aiding it together since."

Rycroft, a retired emergency medical technician, owned the Beaverlodge ambulance servicefor 16 years, until 2001.

He was alsothe town's fire chief for more than a decade, from 1987 to 1998, and still volunteers as a firefighter.

Rycroftsaid he has worked closely withAHSthroughout his decades-long career in emergency services.As mayor, he plans to continueadvocatingfor improved health care in the town of 2,500 people.

"It's interesting to be part of this for so long," Rycroft said. "One of these days it'll come through."

With its24/7 emergency department, the Beaverlodgehospital is crucial for families and workers in surrounding villages and hamlets, he said.

"We're still probably 40 minutes away from people in the outlying areas to get to Beaverlodge,let alone if they have to go to Grande Prairie," Rycroft said. "The emergency side of it is very important."

The facility also takes pressure off the nearby Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Grande Prairie, he added.

"I'm very frustrated,"Rycroftsaid."We've studied it to death, we just need the hospital built."

Province: 'It's on our radar'

Rycroft raised his concerns with Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson during a one-on-one meeting in Beaverlodge on Feb. 14.

"I know that's not in his realm but he does understand and he does talk with the other ministers," Rycroft said.

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"We talked about the hospital up here," Anderson told CBC News after his conversation with the mayor.

"It's on our radar." He said Health Minister Sarah Hoffman "has been up here and talked about it and it's something that's important to us so we want to make sure we hear what the community needs."

In an emailed statement, Alberta Health spokespersonRob Gereghtysaid planning started last year for a new community health centre.

The centre is planned for the land McFarlane donated.

"WhileBeaverlodgewas not included onAHS's recently released 2017 capital submission priorities,Beaverlodgeremains on theAHSlist of potential future major capital projects," Gereghtywrote.

"In order to best meet the needs and improvehealthoutcomes inBeaverlodge,AlbertaHealthcontinues to look at demographics, current and projectedhealthneeds and nearby services."

Renovations to the municipal hospital are ongoing, he added, listing a new roof, nurse call system, fire alarms, security systemand repairs to address recent flood damage.

@ZoeHTodd