Cardiovascular Surgery Program: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cardiovascular Surgery Program?
To improve patient care for the region, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) has been working with the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC) at the University Health Network (UHN) to co-develop a cardiovascular surgery (CVS) program at TBRHSC since 2013. We are in an exciting stage of the project, where 76,000 square feet of space will be renovated and expanded to accommodate a new comprehensive Cardiovascular Surgery Program that will allow our Hospital to complete vital cardiac procedures, reduce wait times for urgent and elective procedures and ensure timely access to essential services in the region.
This transformative project will include:
- 14 Cardiovascular Surgery inpatient beds.
- 6 New Coronary Care Unit beds.
- 1 New Hybrid Operating Room.
- Renovations to Operating Rooms 9 and 10.
- A new Ambulatory Cardiovascular Care Clinic and Pre-admission Clinic expansion.
- Renovations to Medical Devices Reprocessing and Biomedical departments.
Main Entrance, Medical Centre at 984 Oliver Road, and Cancer Centre
Please use Moose (B2) and Eagle (A1) visitor parking lots. Accessible parking spots remain close to the Hospital and are located in the Eagle (A1) lot. The Fish (A3) parking lot will be closed until mid to late June. The Bear (B1) parking lot will remain closed throughout the construction process.
Emergency Department & Labour and Delivery
Please use Coyote (C2), Squirrel (C1), and Deer (D) lots, designated for patients accessing the Emergency Department & Labour and Delivery ONLY. Please note that other areas of the Hospital are not accessible through this entrance.
Health Services Centre, 1040 Oliver Road
Parking in any of our visitor lots is FREE for usage lasting 30 minutes or less. Simply provide your ticket upon exit, and the gate will open without asking for payment. When drop off / pick up zones are congested, parking in Moose (B2) provides a great option while waiting.
Where is the passenger pick-up and drop-off area?
The passenger pick-up and drop-off area has been temporarily relocated to the Medical Centre loop. Lift+, Ambutrans, and Taxis have dedicated stop locations close to the entrance. When arriving for pick up, please be mindful of vehicle congestion and only arrive when your passenger is ready and waiting near the entrance.
Where are the accessible parking spaces?
We currently meet the most stringent accessible parking standard. With the closure of some of the accessible spaces located in front of the Renal department and Fish (A3) lot, additional accessible spaces have been assigned in lot Eagle (A1).
What are you doing about the parking situation?
We know that with construction comes inconvenience, and we appreciate your understanding and patience as we move forward with this important project bringing cardiovascular surgery to Northwestern Ontario, and closer to home for patients and families. We continue to endeavor to minimize disruptions during construction but given the magnitude of the project, there may be some bumps.
Parking constraints include spaces lost in the winter months to snow piles and with the Cardiovascular Surgery expansion, increased demand for parking along with a loss of existing spaces. However, we assure you we have capacity on the hospital campus.
An assessment of parking capacity considered maximizing utility, increasing patient/visitor access and convenience, optimizing parking and vehicular movement, maintaining affordability for patients and staff and anticipating future needs.
To address immediate pressures, the recent expansion of lot A2 added 207 new stalls, and functions as the new overflow staff lot and can house the snow pile.
Why is Bear (B1) lot closed?
Bear (B1) parking lot is closed and designated as the contractors’ staging area. It will also be modified, along with a portion of Ron Saddington Way, to accommodate the new building footprint and new Renal parking.
The staging area is necessary for the management and execution of a major construction project. It is a designated, safe, and secured space for receiving and storing materials and equipment. It provides a centralized location to reduce congestion on the active work site, including a worker preparation area. It also provides operational spaces, or site trailers, for the contractor’s and sub-contractor’s workforce related to management, planning, and worker facilities.
The Bear (B1) parking lot will remain closed throughout the construction process. Please use Moose (B2) and Eagle (A1) visitor parking lots. Accessible parking spots remain close to the Hospital and are located in the Eagle (A1) lot.
Why is Fish (A3) lot closed?
The Fish (A3) parking lot is temporarily closed for renovations to enhance traffic flow and accessibility parking. As part of the improvements, the Fish (A3) lot will be upgraded to provide 23 accessible parking spaces—an increase of four spaces from its current capacity and conversion to accessible by permit only.
Major construction activities will take place throughout the closure in order to accommodate the relocation of the existing underground sewer and water lines. This renovation is also a critical step in preparing the Fish (A3) lot to serve as a new drop-off and pick-up location, which will replace the existing temporary pick up/drop-off zone as progress on the cardiovascular surgery expansion continues.
Where can I find information on parking and entrances?
As we move through the stages of construction, there will be ongoing adjustments to Hospital parking. Please keep an eye on our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn) and on our website at tbrhsc.net for the latest and most accurate information.
For everyone’s safety, please adhere to all construction fencing, barricades, and safety signs. The construction site will be clearly marked, and all unauthorized personnel are restricted from entering construction areas. We encourage everyone to use designated walkways and stay alert while navigating around the construction zones.