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continued from p.12 "The community has been engaged and inspired and very supportive so far," she said. "We've tried to reach every corner of the community. We've done so with pace setting gifts like Peter Gilgan's $10-million contribution, our largest gift in Oakville and for this campaign." Bike rides and galas organized by the group have also raised considerable funds. Triano said more than 100 volunteers have spread the message of how urgently money is needed for equipment for the hospital. While the provincial government funds the construction and planning costs, and donated the site from provincially-owned lands in the area, equipment is not funded by the Province. EllisDon is the majority partner of the construction joint venture building the hospital. The facility was designed by Parkin Architects and Adamson Associates Architects. However, it will be the community fundraising that helps in to ensure it has the equipment it needs. To contribute to the campaign visit www. oakvillehospitalfoundation.com. The Town of Oakville has also agreed to make a contribution of up to $130 million. Mayor Rob Burton said not making it could have indefinitely delayed the project. The mayor has also argued a larger hospital is needed to promote infectious disease control and it would create opportunities for jobs and businesses in the community. Burton said thanks to the revenue stream from local green energy projects and other business ventures, the $130 million would not come from the taxpayer. "We've had some pretty good success with that," said Burton. "(The Oakville Beaver) covered the opening of the fifth transformer station that serves Oakville... We could have paid more than $30 million to Hydro One to build it and then paid fees to operate it or we could build it ourselves for two-thirds as much money and that's what we did. I estimate it will cost about $8 million and some to carry a $130-million donation. That transformer station alone is supposed to generate $2 million back to the Town per year." Paying the price tag Burton also said Oakville Hydro's sale of Blink Communications netted the Town about $100 million, a `big chunk', which has been held in reserve to assist with the contribution if needed. In addition to planning how the new hospital will function, HHS staff also have to plan how to get hundreds of patients, thousands of pieces of equipment and furniture from the existing OTMH site to the new location. While an exact timeline for the move has yet to be ironed out, Hardenne said typically most of a hospital's departments and support services are moved first over a week or so. Then a clinical move will take place -- involving patients -- including those with more serious conditions. The aim is to move this group in 24-36 hours. Additional equipment deliveries will follow. "It's a closely, and carefully coordinated, series of activities because, as you can imagine, there is potential risk when you are moving very sick patients," said Hardenne. All corners of community help pay the bill I guess it depends on the demands of the community and how growth is sustained over time, but we are confident the site can accommodate this community into the future for 50 years and beyond. Bill Bailey HHS vice-president of redevelopment 13 | Thursday, March 20, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The new Oakville hospital construction project caught the public's eye when crane after crane began to appear in the sky as the walls went up. Below, at the topping off of the new hospital, from left are, Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) President and CEO John Oliver, HHS board chair John Fleming, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. | Oakville Beaver file photos Next week, Halton Hospitals: Building Our Health Care, a special Metroland Media West four-part project, will look at Burlington's Joseph Brant Hospital. For all the stories, photos and video, visit www.insidehalton.com/video/4395970. "We will be working very closely with EMS and some of our patient transport providers to coordinate how we do that." Hardenne said HHS teams have been observing large-scale patient moves taking place in other parts of the province in an effort to learn what methods are best for all involved. The move is scheduled for mid-December 2015. Following it, OTMH will close its doors. Hardenne said operational readiness plans are being put together for every program to ensure that, come opening day, the staffers know their way around the new facility, where they are supposed to go and what they are supposed to do. "The first patient in the hospital needs to feel like the 10,000th patient," said Clement. While the building will have capacity to eventually accommodate 602 beds, Bailey said the structure is being built with expansion possibilities in mind. He said a master plan has been drawn, which outlines how the chassis of the building could be enlarged to house another series of 36 bed pods to the south. He said the ambulatory services block to the north and the diagnostic treatment block could be expanded to accommodate future growth. "I guess it depends on the demands of the community and how growth is sustained over time, but we are confident the site can accommodate this community into the future for 50 years and beyond," said Bailey.