Grace site still in plans for hospital development

Urgent care role seen by ministry

The former Grace hospital site remains part of the future vision under Windsor’s $2-billion megahospital proposal, said a spokesman for Ontario’s Health Ministry on Thursday.

Local sources have indicated plans have moved away from using the Grace site for construction of an urgent care centre and shifted toward preserving emergency room services at the current Ouellette Campus of Windsor Regional Hospital.

In December, Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins, when confirming a new acute hospital will be built in Windsor, asked local health-care officials to consider expanding services — even on an interim basis — at the Ouellette Campus instead of building a new urgent care centre at the Grace site.

“The Grace site remains the program and services steering committee’s vision for delivery of urgent care in the future,” said David Jensen, spokesman for the Health Ministry, on Thursday.

“As part of early capital planning work for the new hospital, Windsor Regional Hospital is continuing to examine the ongoing use of the Ouellette site on an interim basis for urgent care and ambulatory services.”

Hospital CEO David Musyj said this week more details on design plans for the project should be completed by the steering committee in about six to eight weeks.

“Further ministry approvals will be required prior to the new hospital moving to design and implementation,” Jensen said.