City’s Meadowlark room name flies at PRH

The provincial government has said “Yes” to the Meadowlark Room.

That will be the name attached to one of 84 new patient rooms in Penticton Regional Hospital when the new David E. Kampe Tower opens in April.

The City of Penticton held a public “name the room” contest earlier this year (subject to provincial approval) after donating almost $31,000 to PRH from the auction sale of thousands of recycled paver bricks removed from downtown and Lakeshore Drive sidewalks. The money helps the South Okanagan Similkameen (SOS) Medical Foundation provide medical equipment for the PRH expansion.

Related: Meadowlark Room is Penticton’s choice

Mayor Andrew Jakubeit lauded the benefits from both the Okanagan lakeshore and the Main Street revitalization projects carried out in recent years.

Jakubeit said to be able to reuse the old bricks to help people spruce up their patios and yards while assisting PRH is a huge plus. Not only does Penticton have a large elderly population, but the current hospital dates back to the early 1950s.

“I think the hospital expansion itself is the most significant project to happen in Penticton, both on a socio-medical side of things and economically,” he said. “Now our population is significantly larger, our region is larger, and the complexity of required health care services is that much greater as well.”

The end result is an obvious economic boost and a much more dynamic community for young families and those looking to retire here.

Forty per cent of the total construction costs are being paid through the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional Hospital District. The paver brick donation adds to Penticton’s support of the $312-million PRH expansion – without dipping into existing city revenues.

The mayor said city council readily agreed to allocate the paver brick revenue to the SOS Medical Foundation campaign.

“Certainly there is a significant amount of non-profits who have a need in the community, but the hospital is probably the most significant economic opportunity we have in front of us. To be able to support that was a high priority and easy decision for council to endorse.”

The new tower will open on April 29, 2019. Work will then begin on Phase 2, including a major upgrade to the PRH Emergency Department, to be completed by 2021.