Province grants $4.9 million to WLMH

The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has approved a $4.9 million capital grant for West Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

The grant will be used to support the Health, Safety and Infrastructure Upgrade Project at WLMH.

“This grant will enable West Lincoln to continue to meet the needs of the patients it serves in an enhanced environment,” says Murray Martin, president and CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences.

“We are grateful to Minister Deb Matthews and her provincial colleagues for approving this much-neededfunding to improve the existing hospital building. I’d also like to thank our partners at the HNHB LHIN for endorsing this request so that it could move forward.”

The $4.9 million will be used to upgrade critical building systems such as the fire alarm and nurse call systems; modernize building infrastructure including the cooling/heating system, plumbing and electrical systems; replace flooring; and repair and refresh wall surfaces.

“I know that many people in our community have been wondering about the future of West Lincoln,” says Kurt Whitnell, Hamilton Health Sciences board of directors member and former chair of the WLMH board prior to the amalgamation of the two boards last fall.

“This grant will allow us to continue to provide care in a safer and updated environment as we continue to focus on redevelopment of this site.”

Over the upcoming weeks and months, the hospital will determine the full scope of work, develop a project plan, and then issue tenders for the work to be completed.

“I am optimistic that we’ll be able to get going with some noticeable activity on site within the next couple of months,” said Rebecca Repa, WLMH president.

“This is really exciting for everyone in our hospital and in our community. While these upgrades are necessary to support our ongoing operations in the foreseeable future, we are also very hopeful about the future redevelopment of our hospital.”