Bracebridge hospital could cost $182 million to $198 million, while Huntsville hospital could cost $197 million to $210 million
Crowds gather around the proposed future design options for the Bracebridge and Huntsville hospitals during an information session at the Bracebridge Sportsplex. March 4, 2019. – Alison Brownlee/Metroland
BRACEBRIDGE – Two hospitals. Five options. Lots of comments.
More than 80 people trekked to the Bracebridge Sportsplex on March 4 for the first of six information sessions hosted by the Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare capital plan development task force on design options and cost estimates for the future renovation-expansion or replacement of South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge and Huntsville District Memorial Hospital in Huntsville.
“We are committed to a two-acute-site model for the future – that’s a hospital in Bracebridge and a hospital in Huntsville – both with emergency, in-patient and surgical services,” said Cameron Renwick, task force chair. “It’s challenging. It’s an awful lot of money. It will be a fair bit of time. But … I know that, together, we can all get there.”
Options for South Muskoka Memorial Hospital included:
• Renovation-expansion: renovate to use part of the existing hospital, plus construct an addition, to create a four-storey hospital in phases for $187 million
• Replacement on current land: build a new four-storey hospital on-site before demolition of the existing hospital for $198 million
• Build new on new land: construct a new two-storey hospital on another unspecified piece of land, roughly 30 to 40 acres in size, in Bracebridge for $182 million
And options for Huntsville District Memorial Hospital included:
• Renovation-expansion: renovate to use part of the existing hospital, plus construct an addition, to create a three-storey hospital in phases for $197 million
• Replacement on current land: build a new three-storey hospital on-site before demolition of the existing hospital for $210 million