10 ways Michael Garron Hospital is preparing for the ‘Big Dig'

Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) has been planning its redevelopment project for over a decade. With construction just around the corner, there are several “pre-construction” activities to complete before shovels hit the ground later this year. Follow along as MGH counts down 10 ways the Hospital will prepare for the “Big Dig”!

1. Power up! Electricity sparks vital Hospital care

Electricity fuels the daily operations of the Hospital, lighting operating rooms, powering breathing machines and running the electronic records system. These systems must be updated and replaced prior to construction to continue supporting MGH's existing facility as well as providing power to the future Ken and Marilyn Thomson New Patient Care Centre

The new electrical station will be installed on a steel platform on the existing outdoor staff parking lot off of Knight Street. Electrical equipment, or meter/switch boxes, will also be installed at the corner of Mortimer Avenue and Knight Street to feed electrical cables coming from City power stations.

Construction activities to replace existing systems have already begun and can be seen at the corner of Knight Street and Mortimer Avenue. 

2. Preserving MGH's rich history

Two buildings, located on the south side of the campus (E & F wing podium) will be demolished in the early phases of construction. Prior to demolition, items that can be preserved will be removed including furniture, equipment, and historical features. Iconic Hospital cornerstones, established every time a new Hospital wing has opened, will be incorporated into the new building design.

3. Word on the Street: Talking with Neighbours

The Michael Garron Hospital campus is at the heart of the East Toronto community, and is surrounded by residential homes. As a result, the hospital strives to have ongoing consultation and dialogue with the public.

Some of the ways the hospital communicates to external audiences about updates, progress and the inherent benefits surrounding the redevelopment include:

• Michael Garron Hospital Website: recently updated, the redevelopment section of the website is the community's one stop shop for all redevelopment project communication. Take a peak: www.tehn.ca/redevelopment

• Neighbour Notification Emails: MGH has developed an email distribution list of neighbours who have requested to receive information about upcoming work (including potential noise, traffic & sidewalk disruptions etc.). Neighbours interested in receiving updates are asked to email @email

• Construction Liaison Committee: comprised of local residents, councilors, city bylaws officers, and MGH staff, this committee is one of the ways the hospital strives to keep the community informed about redevelopment project progress. For more information about the committee and when it will be meeting next click here

• Town Halls Forums: Are a way the hospital meet with community members, either to hear from them on topics of interest or to discuss specific upcoming work. The latest town hall forum was held on October 11, 2017 to provide residence on Knight Street with an opportunity to learn more about the electrical switchgear replacement project.

• Public Open Houses: preparations are underway for a Public Open House on April 16 2018. More information about the Open House will be shared here.

By using these forums, Michael Garron Hospital hopes to increase public awareness about what the future will bring and encourage a sense of pride and support amongst the local community, because after all, the redevelopment project is being built to benefit the East Toronto community!

4. New innovative technology to produce oxygen ‘on demand'

The hospital's current medical gas supply (oxygen) is stored in large tanks located off of Sammon Avenue. The oxygen is delivered by an external supplier and is used for care and treatment of patients. These tanks must be removed in order to make way for the future build.

As a replacement solution, the Hospital will be installing a new, innovative technology, which will enable the hospital to produce its own oxygen supply on demand vs. purchasing through an external vendor. This state of the art equipment will be a much more economical and convenient for the Hospital to operate.

5. Paving the way for new and accessible underground parking

On the south side of the Hospital's campus, site services including water and waste run under the current public parking lot towards Sammon Avenue. To make way for excavation, and the four levels of future underground parking, these services must be re-routed west and connected to City services on Coxwell Avenue. This work will be done in coordination with the City of Toronto in order to minimize interruptions to hospital services as well as the surrounding neighbourhood.

6. Changes to public parking and entrances

In June 2018, safety fencing will be installed around MGH's future construction site, which is currently the Sammon Avenue public parking and admitting entrance. To continue to provide accessible options for patients and visitors parking throughout construction, the Hospital will be moving its public parking to the lot on Sammon Avenue, west Coxwell Avenue.

Entrances to the facility will change once fencing goes up. Patients and visitors will enter through the main Coxwell Avenue entrance, unless it is an emergency, in which case the Emergency entrance off of Mortimer Avenue should be used. There will no longer be access off of Sammon Avenue to Admitting however the K wing entrance will remain accessible.

7. Maintaining access to emergency fire safety routes

Once the south side of the campus has been closed off, the hospital will have to redirect its existing fire safety routes and create alternate emergency routes for patients, visitors and staff. Two new exits will be created; one staircase will be directed west for the remaining portion of F wing and the other, will exit east from the H wing. These changes will be communicated with staff and all internal signage will be updated.

8. Re-routing non-urgent patient transfers

The hospital will be redirecting the pickup and drop off location for non-urgent patient transfers once the admitting entrance off of Sammon Avenue is closed. Examples of non- urgent transfers include patients who are returning to a long term care home or are being transferred to another facility for further tests/treatments. During construction, non-urgent transfer vehicles will have two new designated spots in the Emergency parking lot off of Mortimer Avenue. Once the New Patient Care Centre is opened in 2021, transfer vehicles will park in designated spots within new underground parking and conveniently enter the facility via elevator access.

9. Closing the underground tunnel

MGH has an underground tunnel which runs directly underneath the public parking lot. This tunnel is used by the Hospital's support services staff when transporting materials such as linens, garbage and equipment. To make way for excavation activities, operations within the hospital will have to be rerouted and the tunnel subsequently decommissioned and removed.

10. Protecting critical diagnostic equipment

With any major construction, there will be added noise and vibration. To mitigate impacts construction can have on some of the Hospital's most sensitive equipment, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) scanner and laboratory equipment. The Hospital will carefully install sensors around key equipment to monitor vibrations levels 24/7. Alerts will be shared with the construction team if the sensors notice vibrations above set thresholds.

Construction projects are very complex, and the Hospital appreciates the patience and support of its patients, visitors, neighbours and community as it prepares for its “Big Dig”.

For more information about the Hospital's pre construction activities, please email @email or visit www.tehn.ca/redevelopment

Related
Redevelopment marks major milestone: “We're creating more than just a building; we're creating a community hub at the heart of east Toronto.”

‘If you like it, put a ring on it': preferred proponent selected for Michael Garron Hospital's redevelopment project