This is an opinion column by Lynn Guerriero, President and CEO of Niagara Health, and Andrea Scott, President and CEO of The Niagara Health Foundation, originally published in the Niagara dailies.
Hospitals are built with steel, concrete and glass. But first, they are built by people.
For more than a decade, thousands of Niagara residents, community leaders, volunteers and donors have worked toward a shared goal: creating a new hospital for South Niagara. Fundraising campaign co-chairs Mayor Jim Diodati and Harry Oakes have helped lead that community effort, bringing people together around a shared vision for the future of hospital care in Niagara.
Three years into construction, that vision is becoming a reality. The South Niagara Hospital, now standing 12 storeys above the construction site and visible from far and wide, is a daily reminder of what can be achieved when a community comes together around something larger than itself.
When complete, the South Niagara Hospital will provide a full range of hospital services while serving as a regional centre of excellence for stroke care and wellness in aging. It will strengthen access to care across Niagara and help meet the needs of our growing region for decades to come.
As we mark three years of construction, it is fitting to reflect not only on the progress visible at the site, but on the tremendous community effort that has helped make it possible.
Through the Niagara Health Foundation's It's Our Future campaign, more than 1,100 donors have contributed over $75 million toward the new hospital. Families, businesses, service clubs and community organizations have rallied behind this project with a level of generosity that speaks to the importance of hospital care in all of our lives.
Some supporters have made transformational gifts. Others organized events, sponsored fundraisers, volunteered their time or made personal donations. Every contribution has helped move this project forward and reflects a shared belief that Niagara deserves exceptional hospital care.
Reaching this milestone is a significant achievement, but the campaign continues. Community support will remain essential as we work to fund the equipment, technology, furnishings and other critical elements needed to transform a building into a fully functioning hospital. The generosity of our donors has brought us this far and will help ensure the South Niagara Hospital opens ready to provide the best possible experience for patients and families.
Jim and Harry have devoted countless hours to championing the campaign, connecting with donors and encouraging others to support a project that will benefit generations of
Niagara residents. We also recognize Jim's extraordinary commitment to the South Niagara Hospital over more than a decade.
Long before construction began and before the fundraising campaign was launched, Jim was among the strongest advocates for a new hospital in South Niagara. Through years of planning, discussion and advocacy, he worked alongside many others to keep the project moving forward and played a key role in helping secure the land on which the hospital is being built today.
Of course, projects of this scale are never the work of one person, one organization or one level of government.
The South Niagara Hospital reflects the efforts of elected officials, healthcare leaders, volunteers, community advocates and donors from across the region. It reflects years of collaboration, persistence and a shared belief that Niagara deserves a stronger healthcare system.
There is still work ahead before the doors open, but this milestone gives us an opportunity to pause and say thank you.
Thank you to the donors whose generosity is helping bring this hospital to life. Thank you to the volunteers and community champions who have shared our vision. And thank you to everyone who has believed in this project from the beginning.
Three years into construction, the South Niagara Hospital stands as a powerful symbol of what Niagara can accomplish when it comes together with a shared purpose. The building rising on the horizon is more than a hospital. It is a testament to a community that chose to invest in the health and well-being of future generations.
