St. Mary’s General Hospital celebrates 100 years welcoming the coming a decade of change

St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener turned 100 years old on Monday.

Hospital President Mark Fam told 570 NewsRadio, “I’m really proud. The team here provides amazing patient care every day.”

He described the founding of St. Mary’s in 1924 as the beginning of “a place where the sick and injured could come.”

For the future, though, Fam says St. Mary’s could expand beyond acute care, depending on the future health and social needs of the community. He says they’re just starting the conservation about long-term care and supportive housing at the site at 911 Queen’s Blvd.

As for the St. Mary’s site and building, Fam says there will have to be some renovations, possibly with new buildings coming.

He says a 100-year-old building is “not the place we want to be able to provide modern patient care.”

But the part of the hospital that opened in 2008 is in great shape. Fam also talked about all the major changes coming over the next decade as they merge with Grand River Hospital, including its Freeport site, and jointly open a new hospital in north Waterloo.

For one thing, they’re still seeking public input on the name of the new organization and new hospital. Fam says they hope to announce that early in the new year.

Meanwhile, the 50 Million Reasons campaign from the St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation is trying to raise $50m over the coming years. Donations can be made online by clicking here.

A museum exhibit called Beyond the Bricks: 100 Years of Compassionate Care at St. Mary’s General Hospital, opened Friday at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum.

It runs until April 22.