$62-million hospital project underway.

Site preparations are underway to deliver a state of the art new hospital for the 20,000 residents of the Parry Sound area.

Excavating and blasting of the $62-million building's imprint began this summer, says Norman Maciver, CEO of the West Parry Sound Health Centre, including building access roads and connecting water, sewer, power and communication conduits to the 30-acre site on Bowes Street.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Tern Care has committed to 75 per cent of the project's costs. About $17 million will be raised by the Town of Parry Sound, neighbouring municipalities and through local fundraising events.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for November 2003. Lowry Architects was selected as the design firm, while a general contractor will be named in January.

The planning for a new hospital follows directions by the provincial Health Services Restructuring Commission that health-care services in-Parry Sound be consolidated under one roof.

Maciver says the proposed 240,000-square-foot facility is a "considerable improvement" over the currently used facilities including the acute-care centre on James Street, which was built in 1946 with additions in the 1960s and 1970s, and the chronic-care facility on Church Street built in the 1800s with its last addition in 1950.

"It's long overdue," says Maciver. "The co-location of all the departments will be a big improvement."

The 180-bed facility -- an overall increase of 72. beds -- will include an enhanced emergency department, critical care; surgical care, diagnostic imaging capabilities, rehabilitation care, a new ambulatory care centre and administrative services. A key addition will be a new CT scanner and diagnostic services.

A telecommunications network will be a featured addition in the new health centre linking Parry Sound with other health-care providers around the province.