2022
Vol. LXXI, No. 18
32 Pages
March 28, 2023
Land secured for new Covenant Health hospital and surgical centre Existing St. Mary’s Hospital to be repurposed
W
ith an election looming, the promises and pledges from all parties aren’t just trickling. They are gushing like helium escaping from a Chinese weather balloon in February. And now, Camrose and area has become the latest beneficiary. St. Mary’s Hospital (SMH), widely regarded as one of the finest rural acute care health facilities in the Province of Alberta, is about to become far more important, not just for the community, but for all Albertans. A new 130-bed hospital, complete with six operating theatres, is in the advanced stages of design. A 30-month construction period starting this spring means general, orthopaedic and ophthalmology surgeries could commence as early as Christmas 2025. The facility, to be built on the land immediately west of Rona and Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB), will incorporate existing staff, plus bring new, often young, skilled, high-earning healthcare professionals to the community. It will also result in surgery privileges being offered to qualified specialists from throughout the Red Deer and Edmonton geographic region. This decision will contribute greatly to reducing the unsurpassed surgical backlog that has grown annually since 2017, according to a Provincial Government press release. The existing 76 bed hospital on 53 Street will remain a fully Operational Universal Centre for Catholic Healthcare. (OUCCH). See story on page 8
Inside Who Can I Count On? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Out and About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 and 13 City of Camrose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 and 15 Seniors' Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Spring Car Care Guide . . . . . . . . . 18 to 23 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 and 25 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 to 30 Central Agencies Realty Inc. . . 31 and 32
This Week's Flyers
*partial coverage To Camrose Homes Tuesday A&W Brick Warehouse Canada Safeway Canadian Tire Hauser Home Hardware M & M Food Market Shoppers Drug Mart Walmart Wild Rose Co-op
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔x2 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
To Rural Homes With Booster ✔ ✔* ✔* ✔*x2 ✔* ✔* ✔* ✔
News Features City Easter Egg Hunt underway . . . . . . . . 2
Reflections by Bonnie Hutchinson . . . . . . 4 Gusdal named Downtown Camrose manager . . . . . . . . . . 7 Love, Lies & the Doctor's Dilemma play at Bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Camrose Police Service breaks down 2022 traffic statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22