A discussion about the new hospital in Weyburn was recently held by the Weyburn & District Chamber of Commerce, who invited representatives from the Sun Country Health Region, the Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation, the City of Weyburn and the RM of Weyburn as well as our MLA. The solidarity of direction and vision regarding Weyburn's future hospital should be encouraging to the residents of Weyburn and its surrounding rural population.
The Chamber was confident that everyone at the meeting agreed to the basic assumptions that all the attendees want a new hospital built in Weyburn, that a new hospital will be built in Weyburn and that the citizens and stakeholders in our region need clarity on the subject.
"This meeting was very positive," said Chamber Manager Jeff Richards. "The Chamber can confidently say that everyone is doing what needs to be done to make this hospital a reality."
Richards stated that everyone in attendance on March 23 was in agreement that there are many unknowns at this point and that all the right steps are currently being taken.
"It was a positive meeting," agreed Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation representative Kim Thorson.
The Chamber did acknowledge that there are many concerns in the community regarding the location of the new hospital and what services would be offered. The fact is that those answers are not yet known.
"Although it might seem many questions are unanswered," said Richards, "the reality is that in order for our community to continue progressing and attracting health care providers, we need a new hospital. Answers such as the location will become available as we progress through the phases of development, which will happen over a number of years."
Steps are indeed being taken, beginning with communications between the Sun Country Health Region and the Ministry of Health.
"The Sun Country Health Region has identified Weyburn as being in need of a new facility, and they have submitted the appropriate documentation to the Ministry of Health. The Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation has identified that fundraising must happen in order for us to get a new hospital, and they have said that they need to engage the City and surrounding municipalities in the fundraising, and they are doing that," said Richards.
The Government of Saskatchewan first requires assurance in Weyburn's ability to raise its municipal share of funds, which is 20% of the overall construction cost.
The Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation (WDHF) was formed in late 2008 as the fundraising arm for the new hospital in Weyburn. According to the foundation's web site, wdhf.ca, its fundraising goal is estimated to be around $20 million.
"From the point of view of the Hospital Foundation, we are encouraged by the number of people that have already made donations directly to us," said Thorson.
In addition to substantial lump sum donations, such as the $800,000 investment portfolio donated by the Mainil family in 2010, other community efforts are also underway.
In January, Weyburn Co-op launched its Donation Matching program, through which any Co-op member can make a donation to the WDHF and the Co-op will match each dollar up to $1,000 per member, to a maximum of $100,000 in total donations.
This summer, Weyburn born PGA Tour Golfer, Graham DeLaet, will return to Weyburn to participate in a second Charity Golf tournament. All proceeds from the tournament, scheduled for July 10, will go to the WDHF again this year.
The WDHF, having raised nearly $2 million, is not alone in its efforts. Currently, the Health Region has more than $500,000 reserved for the project. The RM of Weyburn has committed to $1.25 million and the RM of Brokenshell has committed more than $250,000. The City of Weyburn represents about $6 million with the new hospital tax levy, which was officially passed by City Council earlier this month.
"Whatever the hospital is going to cost, we don't know what that figure will be," Thorson said, "but we have to raise our share of the funds locally."
Even if the WDHF's estimate of $20 million is accurate, as twenty per cent of an overall construction cost of $100 million, Weyburn would also have to fund the furnishing of the new hospital, though the region does have a large inventory of up-to-date equipment. The construction project, however, won't have a budget until the Sun Country Health Region and the Ministry of Health make decisions about what services will be offered in Weyburn's new hospital.
Those decisions must be made prior to even the drawing up of plans, which would then determine the actual budget for the project. Now, therefore, is the most appropriate time for Weyburn and area residents to direct their ideas about the new hospital to Sun Country and to the Ministry of Health.
The long-held vision for a new Weyburn hospital is no longer a question of 'if' it can happen, but a matter of 'when' and 'how much' for tax-payers and for those who want to see Weyburn on par with other growing cities. The recent show of solidarity by the various governing agencies and representatives is a sure sign of progress for the rapidly-expanding Opportunity City.
