$65 Million for A Rapidly Growing Community
by Ray Hudson
White Rock: In 1948 the White Rock Hospital Society began fundraising for a local hospital when the Royal Columbian began limiting access to residents of what was then Surrey. On August 25, 1954, the 45 bed Peace Arch hospital opened its doors. Looking at the photo above, it’s hard to believe that the hospital has again become inadequate to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population that is rapidly aging, rapidly diversifying, rapidly producing children, all of whom are rapidly demanding an increasingly complex array of health services. And the Hospital Foundation Board in Partnership with the Fraser Health Authority are about to embark on a major overhaul and expansion, by almost three times, of the Emergency Department. A new residential care facility on the north (Surrey) side of 16th Avenue will house 200 beds, including a 15 bed hospice.
The Asian Journal has been speaking with the people responsible for, and working in, the hospital, and over the next few weeks will present special reports with the details of this development and the expected impact this renewed and expanded facility that will have, as the major health anchor in the communities of both White Rock and South Surrey.
Next week, we’ll tell the history from a long time hospital foundation member Ellen Kennett.
