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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Lanie Tindale

What is getting knocked down and built as part of new northside hospital

The government has revealed further details of Canberra's new northside hospital, which it says will be the ACT's biggest ever infrastructure project.

As the ACT government prepare to take over the operations of Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, there are also plans under way to develop the site for the new $1 billion northside hospital.

The acquired land is between Mary Potter Circuit and Sylvia Curley Road in Bruce.

It includes the hospital, administration buildings, a public mental health unit, a childcare centre and carparks.

It does not include Calvary buildings on the outside of Mary Potter Circuit, which will remain under the control of the Catholic healthcare provider.

This includes Calvary Bruce Private Hospital, Rotary College and private mental health facility Hyson Green.

What is staying

The main hospital building, the Xavier building, will remain until the northside hospital opens. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

The Xavier building and structures connected, including the intensive care unit, will remain operational until the northside hospital opens.

Much of the buildings are considered at end-of-life, so their fate after this is undecided.

The site could potentially be used for expanded hospital services.

The Keaney building, which holds the mental health unit, will also be staying.

However, mental health patients may eventually be moved to a separate site - this could be on the north of the campus, where Building 19 currently stands.

The five-storey 700 space carpark, which cost the government millions, will also remain.

The government has said decisions around the religious iconography in the hospital, and the name, are yet to be made in consultation with Calvary.

What is going

Administration buildings will be demolished.

Services which will be relocated because of demolitions include the ACU Calvary Clinical and ANU Medical School, Calvary Community Care, staff residences and allied health rooms.

The Bruce Ridge Early Childhood Centre will also be knocked down, with the government promising to help create or locate another childcare centre.

This will be either on the Bruce campus, or nearby, they said.

The Bruce Ridge Early Childhood Centre will be demolished. Pictures by Elesa Kurtz, Marina Neil

It is understood the centre currently services about 60 children, 40 per cent of which have parents that work at the hospital.

Any demolition works will have to pass planning approvals through a development application process.

Those approvals will also include plans to reduce impact on traffic.

The knock downs are predicted to start no earlier than mid 2025, and the new hospital is hoped to be finished in 2030.

What is coming

Artist's rendition of the inside of the new northside hospital

There are no detailed plans on the new northside hospital as yet, but the government has said the region will need double the amount of beds by 2041.

It will be generally located where buildings 13 to 18 are now - those on the south-west of the site.

Canberra Hospital will remain the tertiary referral hospital, taking people flown in from around the region, and caring for the most severe cases.

The government has said the new hospital will be "modern" and "state-of-the art," promising an experience which is less stressful, and include green space and places to reflect.

Buildings to be retained

1. Main Entrance & Reception

2. Emergency Department Entry

3. Maternity & Day Services Entry

4. Xavier Building

5. Intensive Care Unit and Coronary Care Unit

6. Marian Building

7. Keaney Building

8. Calvary Clinic - Specialists' Rooms

9. Hyson Green - Private Mental Health

10. Residence C - Specialists' Rooms

11. Rotary Cottage

12. O'Shannassy Building - Administration

Buildings to be demolished

13. ACU Calvary Clinical & ANU Medical School

14. Functions Rooms

15. Calvary Community Care

16. Staff Specialists

17. Allied Health

18. Staff Residences

19. Engineering Services

21. Bruce Ridge Early Childhood Centre

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