Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Redevelopment

As of March 31, 2025, Day Medicine has a new home within Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC).

Over the weekend the program relocated from the ambulatory annex into newly renovated space that was once home to the hospital’s gift shop. Patients continue to have access to the same care and supports as before from the Day Medicine teams.

Relocation of programs like Day Medicine are necessary as the ambulatory annex will be demolished to make room for construction of the new patient tower that is part of the RDRHC Redevelopment Project.

Updated wayfinding is in place to help direct patients and family members. Wayfinding Volunteers are also onsite to help guide and direct patients and visitors if they require.

Patients are encouraged to arrive early for any appointment as ongoing changes in site access and traffic congestion may create minor delays.

We continue to relocate some services within Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) in preparation for renovations, demolition and construction as part of the RDRHC Redevelopment Project.

The latest is the GI and Bariatric Clinics, which have been relocated from the Ambulatory Annex to the 2^nd Floor of the hospital’s South Complex, effective March 3.

Directions for Patient

To get to the new clinic locations, enter the hospital’s main entrance and proceed to elevators 16 & 17 behind the Info Desk to 2nd Floor. Upon exiting the elevators, proceed to reception and waiting area for GI and Bariatric Clinics.

Parking

Parking continues to be available in both the underground and South parkades. The South parkade is closest to RDRHC’s main entrance. There are 20 parking stalls on the main level for those with disabilities, in addition to plentiful stalls on other levels. Patients are encouraged to arrive early for appointments to provide additional time navigating ongoing parking and traffic changes within the site.

Effective February 24, 2025 the Diagnostic Imaging (DI) Recovery Room now serves patients from a new location within Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC).

Over the weekend DI Recovery was relocated from shared space in Endoscopy to a newly developed space within the DI Department on the main floor of RDRHC. In addition to allowing for co-location of DI services in a centralized location, DI Recovery’s move allows for Endoscopy to shift internally within its existing space in preparation for the demolition of the Ambulatory Annex.

The Annex will be demolished to make room for the new patient tower on site as part of the RDRHC Redevelopment Project.

DI Recovery has resumed operations today, providing patients with care and support following procedures. Patients are being reminded of the new location through appointment reminder calls.

Updated wayfinding is in place to help direct patients and loved ones. Volunteer Resources has also been working to increase the presence of Wayfinding Volunteers to help escort patients and visitors if they require in recognition of the changes occurring within the site.

Patients are encouraged to arrive at the site early for any appointment as ongoing changes in site access and traffic congestion may create minor delays.

Additional programs and services will be moved from the Ambulatory Annex over the coming weeks. Further updates will be provided.

Effective February 5, 2025 the small parking lot immediately south of the Central Alberta Cancer Centre (CACC) will transition to a patient pickup and drop-off area. Only short-term parking will be permitted to allow family or support persons to assist patients to and from the vehicle as needed.

Access to the pickup and drop-off area will continue to be from the west, off 52 Ave., only. Those accessing this area must also exit to 52 Ave. There is no through-access to the main entrance of the hospital nor to the south parkade. After dropping off a patient, drivers must exit back onto 52 Ave. and drive around to either the underground or surface parkade to park.

We have heard concerns from patients and families trying to access parking in this lot and have observed traffic congestion and near misses with the current access. Changing it to a drop-off and pickup only area will help address these concerns.

We recognize that these changes in access to the site may cause some initial confusion or frustration among patients and families. Patients are being advised of the coming changes, and new signage will be in place to help direct traffic. Parking Services will also continue its regular monitoring of the area to support drivers.

If patients have concerns about parking at the CACC, they are encouraged to speak with their care team who will assist in raising concerns to site and project leadership for resolution.

In addition to a host of new year's resolutions, 2025 will also bring about a series of changes to parking, traffic flow and site access as we get ready for the start of construction on the RDRHC Redevelopment Project.

Below are key dates to be aware of through January as these changes take place. Updated maps and wayfinding materials will be available around the hospital, in addition to wayfinding volunteers to help patients and visitors navigate the changes.

Changes beginning January 13, 2025

• In order to accommodate materials and equipment needed for demolition and construction activities, the public parking stalls between the Ambulatory Annex and the Central Alberta Cancer Centre (CACC) will be closed. This area will be fenced off, with construction fencing and barricades being installed from the hospital's main entrance, through the existing traffic circle and out to 39th Street.
• The parking stalls immediately south of the CACC will continue to be open for CACC patients. Access to this parking lot will be from the west, off 52 Ave., only.
• There will be no vehicle or pedestrian access to RDRHC from 52 Ave.. Access will be from the east via 50A Ave. or from the south via 39th Street.
• The roads coming into the hospital from both 50A Ave. and from 39th Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Access to the surface parkade will not be impacted.
• To ensure that patients coming for appointments at the CACC continue to have access to the site throughout construction, AHS is working with the Construction Manager to create a new corridor connecting RDRHC and the CACC.
  1. This new underground corridor is located on the Lower Level of the hospital, and once it is operation will be most easily accessible from the main elevators near the Jolt N’ Bolt Café.

Changes beginning January 15, 2025

• A lane reduction will occur along the south end of 52 Ave. where it joins 39th Street. There will be no street parking along 52 Ave. across from the hospital as a result. Signage and personnel will be in place to direct traffic around the lane reduction.
• AHS is working closely with the Construction Manager and City Transit to have bus stops relocated around the site as needed to ensure public transit remains accessible.

We recognize that these changes may be disruptive and require people to change their normal routes to and from the site. Site leadership and the Project Management Office are working closely with the Construction Manager and our government partners to implement these changes in an organized manner to minimize disruption wherever possible.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we move forward with this important step in the RDRHC Redevelopment Project.

As preparations for construction of the new patient tower continue at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC), work is underway to relocate services from the Ambulatory Annex, which will become part of the footprint for the new tower. By relocating services from the Annex to other areas of the hospital, we are taking steps to ensure care continues to be accessible to patients throughout construction.

Among the services moving from the Annex space is the Ambulatory Collection Laboratory.

At the end of the day on December 9, 2024, the Ambulatory Collection Lab will be moved to the Lower Level of the hospital. There it will be located beside the hospital’s main lab, across from the Garden Court Café cafeteria. The collection lab will begin operation in its new home as of December 10.

The Ambulatory Collection Laboratory serves those patients who are under the care of ambulatory clinics, such as the Medical Specialty Clinic, the Central Alberta Cancer Centre, the pre-admission clinic and Diagnostic Imaging. Community patients requiring lab services such as blood draws can access one of two community labs in Red Deer. One is located in Bower Plaza (#108, 2325-50 Ave.) and the other is in the downtown (#101A, 5002 55 Street in the Elements @ River’s Edge building).

Appointments at the community labs can be booked online at www.albertaprecisionlabs.ca or by calling the appointment line at 1-877-702-4486.

Patients coming to the Central Alberta Cancer Centre (CACC) are advised that three parking stalls adjacent to the facility's main entrance will be temporarily closed to facilitate the removal of the coloured rocks and boulders in between the CACC and the Ambulatory Annex building.

The stalls will be closed from 8 a.m. on Monday, December 9, until 4 p.m. on Friday, December 13 at which time they will reopen for patients.

Only the three stalls mentioned are impacted at this time. All other parking spaces in the area will continue to be accessible. We recognize that the closure of these stalls may cause an inconvenience for patients. Parking Services will continue their work to keep available parking spaces near the CACC free for patients and will be doing regular monitoring of the area to support anyone experiencing challenges in finding parking.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as this work is completed.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and anticipated donor support, cardiac catheterization will be available at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) sooner than expected.

That was the announcement on October 18 (RDRHF Announces Cath Lab Opening 5 Years Ahead of Schedule (rdrhfoundation.com)) when the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation and Alberta Health Services (AHS) shared the news that they’ve signed an MOU to support construction of a temporary cardiac cath lab which is expected to be complete within 24-30 months.

This will establish cardiac catheterization ahead of the RDRHC Redevelopment Project, which will see two permanent labs constructed. The two permanent labs will be constructed back-to-back and work together jointly, while the temporary one will be standalone.

To create a home for the temporary cardiac cath lab, the existing physicians lounge at the hospital will be converted. Space will then be repurposed elsewhere in the facility to ensure physicians continue to have a quiet space to get away from the demands of the day.

Preliminary design plans are already in place for the interim cardiac cath lab and through the MOU, the Foundation will be providing the financial support for the essential architectural, mechanical, and electrical upgrades.

Once the two permanent cardiac cath labs are completed through the Redevelopment Project, the interim cardiac cath lab will be transformed into a Vascular and Neurology lab.

By establishing an interim cardiac catheterization laboratory, AHS will be able to provide a new cardiac service to patients at RDRHC years sooner, which will help reduce the need for patients to travel to other facilities. This will also support our ongoing efforts to recruit and retain the talented healthcare professionals needed to provide care every day to our patients. We are continuing our efforts to expand the support services available to compliment the cardiac cath lab, including recruitment of additional cardiologists, and planning for more comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation.

Patients and visitors to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) will notice changes to traffic flow and parking at the site, as work continues on both the parkade expansion and the hospital redevelopment.

The three public entrances to the RDRHC site will be reduced to two:

• Entrance from 50A Ave. remains open and will be one-way effective Oct. 15, with traffic exiting to 39 St. Please pay close attention to signage for public access.
• Entrance from 39 St., accessed from the west off 52 Ave., remains open as the entrance closest to the public South Parkade.
• Closed effective Oct. 15: The entrance from 52 Ave. between the West public parking lot and Central Alberta Cancer Centre (CACC) parking lot.

As for parking changes at the site, the public should note that the West public parking lot will be closed, effective Oct. 15.

A portion of the Central Alberta Cancer Centre (CACC) public parking lot will also be closed. Members of the public and site visitors are asked to please reserve this lot for patients of the CACC and their family members only.

As a reminder, work on expanding the South parkade continues to necessitate the closure of 39 St. between 52 Ave. and 51 Ave. at this time. The parkade remains open for patients, public and staff parking while construction is underway.

Signage and flag persons are on site to direct traffic. Motorists are asked to please slow down when driving through the site and obey directions. Pedestrians are also asked to please keep to posted sidewalks for their safety around construction traffic.

Planning of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) Redevelopment Project is well underway, with multiple activities occurring within the site which will become the norm as we execute this project over the next several years.

Everyone will start seeing a variety of construction workers, designers and engineers throughout the facility that we are not accustomed to seeing on a usual basis. In addition to providing advanced notification to impacted areas about this increased activity, AHS' Project Team is offering a series of information sessions for staff, physicians and volunteers to share an overview of the project, where we’re at, and where we’re going. Drop-in sessions being offered on these dates:

• Tuesday, August 6
• Thursday, August 8
• Friday, August 16

Sessions will be offered from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., noon to 12:30 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Dining Room B. Members of the Project Team will be on hand to answer questions.