While there was a gaggle of big shots who helped cut the ceremonial ribbon commemorating the rededication of the North Shore Health facility on May 17, the sweetest scissor wielder of all was North Shore care center resident Bernice LeGarde, president of the Resident Council, who needed a little assistance from Clayton Wrazidlo, Boldt superintendent.
On a crisp sunny, slightly breezy afternoon more than 200 people attended the 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17 rededication of the North Shore Health hospital and care center.
After 2 ½ years, only a small remaining bit of work needs completing on the $24.5 million project, and most of that is in landscaping and some projects to finish in the lower level of the hospital.
While there was cake and coffee served inside, the celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held just outside the front door. The ribbon was cut after Kay Olson, North Shore Health Board chair called on six speakers to take the podium and then acknowledged about another two dozen people who were in the audience and who had contributed to the renovation, asking them to raise their hands.
A time capsule from 1958 was opened and in it were old Cook County News-Herald newspapers and tourist brochures for our area, among other things.
The rebuild included adding 18,715 square feet of new space in the 16 private rooms in the hospital and the addition of 4,273 feet in the care center which features 37 private resident rooms.
About 200 people gathered to take part in the rededication of the newly refurbished hospital and care center on Thursday, May 17. The $24.5 million project took about 2-1/2 years to complete as the office workers, nurses, lab workers, and care center residents moved from old space to new space as wings were closed off to be redone. All in all, it took a lot of patience for all involved, but the new facility looks great, inside and outside.
The exterior sports a redesigned main entrance, new parking lots, a stone retaining wall along the sidewalk and stormwater retention ponds.
Upon entering the hospital, visitors are met with a grand fireplace and lobby and to the right of the fireplace is new administration and registration desk area.
All of the hallways are new and loaned art is hung on the hallway walls. Two pictures by the late News- Herald editor and owner Ade Toftey are currently displayed, but the art will rotate every four months as new artists are selected by a committee to keep the walls a showcase for the area’s many fine artists.
Most everything is new, including a remodeled nurses’ station, a newly renovated Emergency Department, a new drive-through ambulance garage, a new physical therapy suite, and new equipment that will allow chemotherapy drugs to be given to patients once the staff has received the necessary training.
Care Center hall updates
All of the Care Center wings have been redone using the household model, with a new kitchen and large dining room, a new spa and beauty shop, new laundry room and all new mechanical, plumbing, HVAC and electrical run throughout the facility.
The hospital labs feature new countertops, more massive workspaces, new lab equipment, upgraded X-ray equipment, upgraded Dexa scan equipment, new CT equipment and a renovated reception area with patient meeting rooms.
“We are very proud of everything that has been accomplished during this renovation,” said Kimber Wraalstad, CEO at North Shore Health. “Our modern, updated facility is absolutely stunning, not to mention smartly designed to make our patient care more efficient and better than ever before. A huge thank you to the employees of Boldt Construction and our many contractors for all their hard work in pre- paring our facility for the future.”
All told there were 31 subcontractors and eight suppliers of equipment and materials that helped complete the work under the direction of the Boldt Company, which was hired as the general contractor to run the multi-phase project.
In her remarks to the audience Olson thanked DSGW, the architects behind all of the renovations and additions, as well as the financial institutions who made the work possible, USDA Rural Development, Compeer Financial CoBank, Central Bank and Trust, Cenbank, Grand Marais State Bank and Security State Bank for their help with the financing.
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