Owen Sound field hospital at Bayshore Community Centre coming down
Hospitals in Grey Bruce continue to treat more than a dozen COVID-19 patients, but the darkest hours of the pandemic appear to be over.
On Monday workers started to dismantle the emergency field hospital at the Bayshore Community Centre in Owen Sound.
"We are grateful to the city of Owen Sound for the use of the building, the support of city staff, and for the collaborative relationships with the city, public health and the Owen Sound Attack in accommodating the field hospital on the ice surface at the Bayshore centre, said Gary Sims, Grey Bruce Health Services president and CEO, in a press release." "We are all looking forward to seeing the Attack Hockey Club on the ice again soon."
The community centre was turned into a 75-bed hospital last May as part of a contingency plan if the Grey Bruce region or other areas in the province needed extra capacity during the pandemic.
"The dismantling of the field hospital is good news for Grey and Bruce as we inch towards the end of the pandemic. We were happy to have supported and accommodated the needs of Grey Bruce Health Services over the past year," said Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy in a press release. "We look forward to the return to regular programming for our user groups, residents and visitors at the Bayshore Community Centre."
The field hospital was equipped with beds, IT support, oxygen, and medical gas lines throughout the pandemic.
It was constructed so that the facility could be re-purposed and re-built if needed.
Staff will now create a handbook so that the facility can be re-assembled and that the lessons learned in terms of design will become part of GBHS's plan for the future.
"When we built the field hospital, we said that our greatest measure of success would be if the facility were not required," said Sims. "Thanks to the safety precautions and personal sacrifices made by the people in our region, we did not have to open the facility, and for that, we are very grateful."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.