The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation and Quinte Health have partnered with Base 31 in Picton to ensure that air ambulance services continue during construction of the new hospital.
The Picton hospital’s helipad which supports Ornge Air Ambulance, has been temporarily relocated to Base 31 to provide a safe landing location for air ambulances.
Base31 has donated the space and built a temporary helipad at the intersection of the two landing strips on the north end of the Picton Airport property.
This helipad is fully functional, should the need for Ornge services arise. Land ambulances leaving PECMH will meet air ambulances at Base31 to transfer patients to hospitals providing specialized emergency services.
The value of Base31’s gift-in-kind donation to the PECMH Foundation’s Back the Build campaign for constructing the temporary off-site helipad is $150,000.
“Base31’s generous $150,000 in-kind donation of land and construction of a temporary helipad is a remarkable demonstration of local support,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful to the entire Base31 team for stepping up in such a meaningful way to support patient care in our community during this important time.”
The temporary helipad, now fully functional, serves Ornge Air Ambulance and will remain operational throughout the hospital construction period.
The new Helipad is expected to be operational at the time of transition to the new building in early 2027 and will be built at the northwest corner of the hospital property near McFarland Drive.
“This partnership is another example of what we can achieve together as a community, working across sectors in support of care close to home,” said Stacey Daub, president and CEO of Quinte Health. “While the new hospital will include a new helipad onsite, in the interim, Base31 has stepped up as a generous and reliable partner. Their support ensures our teams can continue to respond swiftly to life-or-death situations with a helipad nearby, reinforcing the spirit of collaboration that is at the heart of the Prince Edward County community.”
Base31 said they are “proud to play a role in safeguarding the health and safety of their neighbours during this critical time.”
“Air transport is essential to ensuring patients receive life-saving care without delay, and we see this partnership as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the community we call home,” said Assaf Weisz, Acting CEO and President of Base31. “Working alongside the PECMH Foundation and Quinte Health, we are honoured to help ensure uninterrupted emergency medical services while our new hospital is being built.”
“Base31’s generous gift exemplifies the kind of community leadership that is helping us bring our new hospital to life,” added Nancy Parks, chairperson of the Back the Build campaign. “Our Campaign Cabinet is proud to work alongside local businesses and organizations who support exceptional health care close to home.”
The new hospital will feature expanded services, more patient beds, and state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, allowing Prince Edward County residents to receive high-quality care close to home.
For more information on the redevelopment and how to support the campaign, visit www.pecmhf.ca.
(NICOLE KLEINSTEUBER)
