sihf construction
Current construction progress at the Southwest Intergrated Healthcare Facility (Photo: Cypress Health Region)

The construction of the new Southwest Integrated Healthcare Facility in Maple Creek is coming right along, with the building's foundation being worked on currently.

"We are working on pilings and are expecting that to be done by Feburary 15th, we also have started on the grey beams and that work should be done by end of March," said Brenda Schwan, Capital Project Lead for the Cypress Health Region. "After that you should start to see some exterior walls going up through the month of April and then some roof lines starting to form in May."

Schwan added that so far there have been no setbacks of any kind throughout construction.

"Our Construction Crews have been spending a great deal of effort on ensuring that the metal pilings are sufficient to provide that solid foundation for the building," she said. " Many of the Piles were sunk to a depth of 60 feet which will maintain a firm base to build the structure on."

Schwan noted that staff and community excitment continues to grow regarding the facility, especially now that the construction site is active. In the next couple of weeks, discussions on what exterior and interior colour that will be used on the building will be taking place, with input from the facilities staff and patient representatives.

The SIHF will also have many technologies that other facilities across Saskatchewan don't have yet.

"We are really researching the technology," said Schwan. "Asking lots of questions, talking to physicians, talking to staff just to see what would work best and talking to lots of other companies that have implimented this across North America."

The new facility will be located on the current Maple Creek Hospital site and a parcel of land to the west of the existing Hospital. Construction is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2014.

If you wish to see how construction is coming, you can go to cypresshealth.ca and there is a live webcam that streams a constant video feed of the site. There are also pictures on the site showing the progression of the project.