Almost 52 years to the day it was opened, the former Drumheller Hospital on Riverside Drive has been reduced to a pile of rubble.
The history of this facility goes back to 1963 when authority was granted to renovate a wing of the existing hospital. This made way for new operating rooms, a surgical ward, as well as an area for administration; relocation of the lab and x-ray department were also planned as part of this renovation. They soon found the cost of renovations exceeded the cost of a new build.
In1969, approval for demolition of the old hospital complex was confirmed. In September of that year, patients were relocated. By October, the first concrete was poured for the new hospital. A year later, the hospital was in use and a grand opening was held in 1971 with then Premier Harry Strom attending.
The Drumheller Hospital served the community until 2002 when the Drumheller Health Centre, on North Dinosaur Trail, was opened. The former hospital site has remained vacant since.
McColeman and Sons Demolition was awarded the $689,743 contract and has been on site since the beginning of October carrying out demolition. The site draws onlookers reminiscing about their memories at the facility.
While this is going on, Sunshine Lodge is also in the midst of an approximately $5 million demolition and construction project.
At the beginning of October, the Drumheller and District Seniors Foundation announced it will be demolishing the old 500-wing of the lodge and building eight 1-bedroom self-contained units to better serve local seniors. The old wing has been demolished and construction has begun on the new facility.
