WLMH rebuild in homestretch

By Mike Williscraft

NewsNow

One more hurdle remains – the awarding of the reconstruction contract – before shovels hit the ground for the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital rebuild.

Three construction companies were short-listed for the $200 million project. All three submitted bids by Monday’s closing deadline.

“Following a fair, open and transparent Request for Qualifications process, three teams – Amico Sacyr Alliance, EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare and Pomerleau Healthcare Partners were shortlisted and invited to respond to a Request for Proposals in June 2021. All three teams have submitted their proposals

by today’s deadline,” stated an Infrastructure Ontario statement.

“Over the next several months submissions will be evaluated, and a successful proponent is expected to be announced in early 2022. A fairness monitor is overseeing the entire procurement process.”

“This is yet another step closer to the shovels going in the ground and the doors opening on the new West Niagara hospital that we have all been working towards,” said Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff.

“The closing of the RFP means that we will have a builder for this exciting facility very soon, which is great news for a community that has been working towards this day for so long. I know that we are all looking forward to the selection of the successful bidder in the coming weeks and months, as we rapidly approach the start of construction. My thanks goes to all the staff at HHS, and so many community activists who have worked to make this dream a reality.”

Hamilton Health Sciences officials, too, see the light at the end of a very long tunnel.

“This is a very exciting moment in the history of West Lincoln Memorial Hospital. We thank all three teams for participating in this process and sharing their visions for the new hospital. We look forward to working with our partners at Infrastructure Ontario to select the team which will bring this important piece of health infrastructure to life,” said Kelly Campbell, HHS vice-president, corporate services and capital development.

The three shortlisted teams submitted technical proposals for the project at the end of November 2021.

Now, the attention of key players turns to what is hoped to be a spring announcement.

“Things are progressing very well thanks to the hard work of HHS and the Province. We continue to push Ministry  of Infrastructure and HHS to ensure the award then a sod turning before the next provincial election, hoping for last week in April,” said WLMH Action Committee co-chair Tony Joosse.