Lakeridge Health has marked its next milestone as the redevelopment project at Bowmanville Hospital continues.

Three residential properties at 18, 20 and 22 Prince Street will need to be demolished to accommodate the next steps of the project.

After a competitive Request for Proposals process, REA Construction has been selected to complete the demolition and site preparation work.

It’s a pivotal milestone in the hospitals’ redevelopment journey, bringing a state-of-the-art facility to the community in order to better serve the needs of residents in Durham Region.

“This enabling work is an important step forward in the Bowmanville Hospital Redevelopment project as we prepare for the groundbreaking milestone in the future,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO of Lakeridge Health. “Many thanks to our provincial partners, the Region of Durham, the Municipality of Clarington, the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation, and our local community and businesses for their support as we work through these exciting changes together that will prepare the way for even more high-quality care.”

The milestone was made possible in partnership with the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation’s “We Care, We Can” campaign, raising the community share of the redevelopment and essential equipment.

“Every milestone we reach is powered by the community,” said Maria Petri, Chief Executive Officer of the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation. “As we prepare the site for the new Bowmanville Hospital through enabling works like this, we are deeply grateful to our donors, partners and volunteers whose support makes progress like this possible. Thank you for believing in better care, right here at home. As the redevelopment project continues, the We Care, We Can campaign remains a top priority.”

Once the project is complete, the hospital will increase its number of beds and introduce modern, patient-centered facilities.

“Our little hospital has to expand to meet the needs of our growing community,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster. “By clearing this space, Lakeridge Health is getting ready to more than double the Bowmanville hospital’s size, so folks can count on great health care in Clarington for years to come.”

Bowmanville Hospital’s services will remain open throughout this phase of construction.