St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) has officially opened its doors following its first major redevelopment and expansion project since it was first built in 1954.Originally built to accommodate 20,000 patients annually, the hospital’s emergency department now sees over 51,500 patients a year as a result of the growing community. The recent upgrades and addition of a new three-storey tower addressed the overcrowding and represent the single largest infrastructure investment in STEGH’s 63 year history.“Our team did an outstanding job completing this project within 24 months,” said Alf Balassone, VP Southern Ontario Area Manager, EllisDon. “The team lead by Vance Goldrick and Brent Day supported by Chris Mann, Steve Wright, Adam McMannis and Riley Thompson did an outstanding job.”STEGH’s redevelopment included renovations to some of the existing hospital areas; however the project primarily involved the expansion of the three-storey tower. The project included, a new emergency department, surgical suites, medical devices reprocessing department, an acute mental health unit with 15 inpatient beds, ambulatory services, and ambulance garage.While the team faced numerous challenges over the course of the project, the hospital was delivered in time for grand opening. STEGH is now a leading facility that attracts talented and top health physicians, providing modern critical health to St. Thomas and surrounding communities.