Waterloo and Guelph-Wellington Hospitals secure use of RIM Park as part of COVID-19 Pandemic Planning

As part of a Regional strategy being implemented by Cambridge Memorial Hospital, St. Mary’s General Hospital, Guelph General Hospital, Wellington Health Care Alliance and St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph, Grand River Hospital has entered into an agreement with the City of Waterloo that will ensure hospitals have the capacity needed if the number of COVID19 patients exceed the spaces available in hospitals. 

Our hospitals and health system partners have been preparing for a potential increase in the number of individuals requiring hospitalization and critical care over the coming weeks and months. Part of this preparation has been to find innovative ways to create additional care areas and grow their ability to care for hundreds more patients within their facilities. At the same time, they have been planning for even greater capacity in other areas of our communities. 

These non-traditional community spaces include area hotels, university residences and large event spaces. “Reaching this important point in our planning has taken the collective energy and innovation of all hospitals, staff and physicians working alongside savvy community members volunteering their time and talent,” said Ron Gagnon, Grand River Hospital’s President and CEO, who has taken a lead for this part of the region’s preparation and response plan for COVID-19.

This is where the City of Waterloo’s largest recreation facility, RIM Park Manulife Sportsplex and Heathy Living Centre, has the potential to play a key role as a field hospital accommodating hundreds of additional beds and equipment for patients, should they be required. All of the hospitals in the broader region would work together to equip, staff and operate the facility for Waterloo and Guelph-Wellington patients. “While we remain hopeful that we will never need to expand our care through the use of a field hospital, we are pleased to have reached this milestone - along with all of our Waterloo/Wellington Hospitals - with the City of Waterloo,” said Marianne Walker, President and CEO of Guelph General Hospital.

While recent public health data is promising, and shows that we are trending toward flattening the curve and slowing the number of COVID-19 cases in our regions, the hospitals will be prepared to implement and operate these additional spaces when it is clear that the need for additional care will be greater than the capacity of our hospitals.

“We’d be proud to see our facility provide part of the solution should it be necessary,” said Dave Jaworsky, Mayor of the City of Waterloo. “An even better solution would be to see our community members continue to protect one another from the disease, continue to practice physical distancing and help to lessen the impact this illness is having on our hospitals.”

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Contacts:

Regional:                                                                                

Aubrey Walters

Director, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

Grand River Hospital

aubrey.walters@grhosp.on.ca

519-577-0511

Local hospital: