TRURO - Stand up central Nova Scotia and take a bow.
The Colchester Regional Hospital Foundation announced Tuesday it reached its $26-million goal for the new hospital thanks to the community's generosity.
"It's just unbelievable that a community this size can come up with that amount of money," said To Our Health campaign chairman Chris MacDougall.
"People just came to the plate. The volunteers stepped up and the donors stepped up and I couldn't be more thankful."
The foundation launched the public campaign to raise $25 million in December 2005. It reached that goal in September 2008, and decided to continue on for another million dollars, to fulfill what the province had asked the community to contribute towards the $159-million hospital.
Now a month before Christmas, special gifts from the former St. George's Anglican Church, Eastern Canadian Structures Ltd. and Peter Kohler Windows and Entrance Systems enabled the foundation to reach its $26-million goal.
"We didn't know it was going to get them over the $26 million. We were just happy to give them the contribution," said Kevin Pelley, president of Peter Kohler Windows and Entrance Systems. "When we found out that it just happened to put them over the $26 million, of course, we were thrilled."
The company and its employees had initially pledged $100,000 to the project but the Debert company, which employs more than 300 people, recently decided to double the amount.
"Everybody in some way or another gets touched by (the hospital), whether it's through your family or your own use," Pelley said. "We just felt it was important to give back to the community because they've supported us through the years."
The Halifax native, who has worked for the Colchester County company for a dozen years, had the privilege to change the sign in front of the hospital to $26 million on Tuesday.
About half of the money that has been raised came from municipal or First Nations contributions while the rest came from private and corporate donors. It came from children raising money by asking for donations instead of birthday presents to hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate gifts.
The stories of people donating can warm one's soul.
MacDougall recalled one gentleman in his 90s who came in to the foundation office and wrote a cheque for $20,000 for its annual campaign. The man left the office before returning moments later and said he did not donate to the new hospital. "He signed another $20,000 cheque," MacDougall said.
MacDougall said the community can have a sense of pride as they see the new hospital take shape off of Abenaki Road.
"It's going to be a beautiful building" with lots of natural light, he said. "It's not going to be a dark, depressing building. It's going to be a very healthy, lively looking building."
jmalloy@trurodaily.com
Hospital foundation reaches goal
Hospital foundation reaches goal
- Published on December 2nd, 2009
- Published on Febuary 25th, 2010
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Staff ~ The Truro Daily News
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Comments
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- Gilliad
- - March 1st, 2010 at 14:40:05
SCEPTIC BELIEVER, I haven't heard any of these rumours, but three points I'd like to make about your typically (for a large segment of the Nova Scotia population) negative comments:
(1) most, if not all, projects of this enormity run into problems, more than a few of them major in nature. That contractors are walking away says more about them than it does the project itself. They have either realized they can't cope with anything out of the ordinary, or they're just too darned afraid of ruining their reputations if something does indeed go wrong. I assure you, they won't get a chance to even bid on any future projects of this type (think Civic Centre, if it ever comes to pass).
(2) That there will be cost overruns is simply a part of the game. Costs are calculated, a fudge factor is built in, experts in the field are consulted and they add in their expertise, and a figure is created. Then a union decides it's time to ask for a wage increase for its members - nothing wrong with that, incidentally, but sometimes the planning and the timing is a bit questionable - or some primary material's cost goes up, and whoops, there go the cost estimates.
(3) The worst enemy of all for any project of this size is your negativity. Have you never used any of the hospital's services? Or are you one of those people who complain because you have to wait a couple of hours to get a splinter removed while some tiny baby who is having major problems breathing is attended to. Would you prefer to have to continue to go to Halifax for medical attention, or would you like to be able to get to a local major hospital with the latest in technology and bright, well trained, dedicated professionals capable of looking after you on your front doorstep?
I am getting more than a little tired of the Nova Scotia negativity exhibited by folks like you.
Wake up, people! We're a tiny little spot on the map, and we're darned lucky to be able to look forward to this new facility.
And yes, it will be late opening. that's part of any major construction project, too.
Learn to live with it! -
- Why be so negative
- - March 1st, 2010 at 14:39:49
Hey Sceptic Believer, let me guess you are perfect, things do go wrong, things can be fixed, but lets give credit where credit is due ...the fundraisers, spending endless hours to raise funds to provide an opportunity to have this new facility. As I said earlier, there will be setbacks, there will be issues but they can be fixed. Its the funds that is hard to come up with.
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- Right already
- - March 1st, 2010 at 14:39:42
So now that the pats on the back are done, build it!!!!! OK? OK?
