This weekend, Saanich Peninsula Hospital will be celebrating a significant milestone – its 50th anniversary. The hospital first opened its doors in February of 1974 and has since been a vital healthcare provider for the residents of the Saanich Peninsula.
Over the past five decades, the hospital has offered a wide range of services, including extended care, ambulatory, diagnostic, and surgical services, as well as emergency, inpatient, palliative, and long-term care. In recent years, the facility has also introduced an Indigenous Liaison Nurse and Patient Navigator to better support Indigenous patients in the community.
Leah Hollins, the Island Health Board Chair, expressed her gratitude towards the dedicated staff, physicians, and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to deliver exceptional care to the residents of the peninsula. She emphasized that the 50th-anniversary celebration is a tribute to their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of others.
The anniversary event will kick off with a mini bazaar and craft fair in the hospital’s parking lot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Following this, a ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the hospital’s main entrance, where a new land acknowledgment sign will be unveiled. This sign was developed in collaboration with the four First Nations on the Saanich Peninsula, and elders from these Nations have been invited to attend the ceremony.
After the unveiling, a community celebration will be held outside the hospital’s long-term care facility from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a BBQ and cake while exploring photographs and detailed histories of the peninsula in the facility’s chapel.
Erin Hohl, the Site Director of Saanich Peninsula Hospital, expressed pride in the innovative approaches taken by the hospital’s teams to deliver high-quality, person-centered care on a daily basis. The 50th anniversary serves as a reminder of the hospital’s longstanding commitment to serving families on Vancouver Island.
If you’re interested in joining the celebration, head over to Saanich Peninsula Hospital located at 2166 Mt Newton X Road on Saturday, June 15th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the event is free, so come and commemorate this special occasion with the hospital staff and the community.