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News & Media

St. Marys Memorial Hospital Patient Room Renewal Project Moving Forward

November 01, 2022

Since its opening in 1950 the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) – St. Marys Memorial Hospital has seen a number of upgrades to meet the changing health care needs of the community. The first major development was in 1960 when the Meighen Wing was built to provide additional beds and outpatient care. In 1981 updates to the Emergency and Imaging Departments and patient rooms were completed and in 1992 a new cafeteria, kitchen and lab and were added.

Thanks to the generous support of the St. Marys Healthcare Foundation and their donors, the St. Marys Memorial Hospital will undergo one of the largest transformations in its history in 2023. This two-year project will see a number of improvements made to the inpatient care areas.

The total cost of this rebuild is over $7.6 million with the St. Marys Healthcare Foundation already contributing $2 million. The Foundation has a current goal to raise $3 million through the Here for You Today, Building for Tomorrow campaign, which will bring their total contribution to $5 million.

“The Foundation campaign is well on its way and has reached the halfway mark of the $1.5M goal,” says Cindy Bilyea, Foundation Chair. “St.Marys is a very generous community who appreciates our hospital and the services it provides. The St. Marys Healthcare Foundation is excited about the extensive upgrades that are included in the project. When the construction is complete, we will have a hospital that will serve the needs of our patients and their families better. A huge "Thank You" to all the donors who have contributed to date.”

Highlights of this project include:

  • New headwalls with updated clinical and communication services in all patient rooms
  • Mechanical patient lifts
  • New wheelchair accessible washrooms
  • Improved accessibility for existing washrooms
  • A negative pressure isolation room
  • New clean and soiled utility rooms and new tornados
  • Hand hygiene sinks throughout both patient wings and support areas
  • Updated communications and security and safety systems
  • Upgraded fire safety system
  • New privacy curtains and window blinds
  • Updated heating and cooling systems
  • New centrally located offices for the St. Marys Healthcare Foundation and the Manager, Inpatient Services and Emergency Department
“The improvements we will be making with this project are significant,” says Andrew Williams, President & CEO. “Patient rooms will be safer and more accessible and the improvements overall will greatly enhance our staff experience. We are incredibly appreciative of the ongoing, generous support from our community and the leadership of the Foundation. We thank them for making these improvements a reality.”

Those interested in contributing to the campaign can contact the St. Marys Healthcare Foundation at 519-284-1332 ext. 3450 or info@stmaryshealthcare.foundation.

Donations may also be made via the Foundation’s website or cheques can be mailed to Box 940 St. Marys, ON N4X 1B6.

Group photo taken during project contract signing 

Members of the HPHA, St. Marys Healthcare Foundation, Elgin Contracting and Restoration Ltd. and Architects Tillman Ruth Robinson sign the contract for the St. Marys Memorial Hospital Patient Room Renewal Project.


Seated L to R: Steve Hearn, Chair of the HPHA Board of Directors and Matthew Pedros, Elgin Contracting and Restoration Ltd.

Standing L to R: Francesco Sabatini, HPHA Manager, Facilities Management Projects; Steve Done, Architects Tillman Ruth Robinson; Melanie Sabino, HPHA Facilities Project Logistics Coordinator; Arlene Lanting, HPHA -SMMH Manager Inpatient Unit and Emergency Department; Pat Craigmile, Foundation Board Past Chair; Andrew Williams, HPHA President & CEO; and Cindy Bilyea, Foundation Board Chair.