Construction of a new elevated helipad at Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) is underway, which officials say will ensure patients have access to air ambulance services during the hospital's redevelopment.
The helipad is expected to be operational in early 2026 and is one of the first permanent pieces of the long-awaited redevelopment of the Alliston hospital.
"This is one of the most exciting elements of our early works construction and a critical one at that," according to Wayne Willcott, senior director of corporate infrastructure and redevelopment at SMH.
The new 71-foot-wide helipad will be elevated three feet off the ground, a design feature not often seen in Ontario, though similar styles are used at facilities in western Canada. Once complete, the helipad will go through a certification process with Transport Canada to meet national safety standards before being used for patient transport.
The helipad's location on the southeast side of the hospital property will provide space for additional parking in the future and is intended to improve flight safety during windy conditions. The helipad and pathway to the hospital will be heated to ensure safety and accessibility in the winter.
A news release from SMH indicates the helipad is part of a major redevelopment of the hospital, which will see a new 147,100-square-foot facility built around the current building. The expansion will more than double the size of the current hospital, increase inpatient capacity by 20 per cent, triple the size of the Emergency Department, add new operating rooms, a new obstetrics department, and a new MRI suite.
Construction of the new facility is expected to start next year.
