It's been patched up, stitched onto and bandaged together for more than 40 years. It's the Fort Saskatchewan Health Centre, a 32-bed acute care and emergency medical facility, and it's served its time.
"The hospital has been a big part of the community going back to the early ‘60s," said Ed Sperling, an eight-year resident of Fort Saskatchewan and manager of the city's ATB Financial branch. "It's been band-aided with trailers since '86. It's long overdue to get rid of that and get a permanent facility."
Recognizing the need for a new, more modern hospital, Sperling spearheaded a community effort to lobby the provincial government for funding to build one. He became chair of the Fort Saskatchewan Replacement Hospital Committee in 2003. "With the economic climate being as strong as it was (in 2003) and what we thought was a very large project for the province to replace our hospital, we thought it was time," noted Sperling.
Fort Saskatchewan's arguments for an expanded, modern, permanent medical centre were strong. "We identified a geographic and economic region in and around the city of Fort Saskatchewan in the neighbourhood of 50,000 people," said Fort Saskatchewan mayor Jim Sheasgreen. "And with industry being right here in our backyard, we need to have very close proximity, knock on wood, should something happen in terms of a major incident or flare-up. So the hospital here is very important for the residents, the business community and the petro-chemical industry."
The community's four-year lobbying effort finally succeeded in 2007 when the province approved funding for Fort Saskatchewan's new hospital. The facility, now under construction, will feature 38 acute care beds, and expanded and modernized emergency and outpatient departments. Sheasgreen says it may not have happened without Sperling's tireless efforts. "Ed had a lot of responsibility," he pointed out. "Not just chairing the meetings and helping the entire group create a strategy and lobbying effort, but when it came to be the spokesperson, the public face to all of that was Ed."
"It feels really good," Sperling said, watching the new hospital being built. "A little give-back to the community." His effort was hardly little. The new facility will improve medical services to a large geographic region when it opens in early 2011. "It's going to be a huge boost and a much-needed piece of infrastructure for the entire region," said Sheasgreen. "It's something that's a long time coming, a long time needed and it will serve this community very well into the future."
Leading the effort to build the new hospital is only one of Sperling's many contributions to Fort Saskatchewan since his family arrived in 2001. The 29-year ATB associate has served as President of the local Chamber of Commerce, is the current chair of the Fort Saskatchewan Economic Development Board, and is an active member of the Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Committee.
The movement to revitalize Fort Saskatchewan's downtown began as businesses started to move to the new power malls along the highway. "With those businesses leaving, what's left?" asked Sperling. "We have a mall that was built in the ‘70s that occupies 19 acres of land downtown that houses three or four businesses now. It's a ghost town."
The city has commissioned Montreal's McGill University to formulate a plan to redevelop Fort Saskatchewan's downtown. Based on McGill's recommendations, the city will begin its revitalization project in 2010. "It's improving the community," Sperling said. "It's making it a place where people want to come. If you can get people out to the power mall, chances are you can get them to the downtown core."
Sperling's incredible dedication to his community has not gone unnoticed. In 2008, he was presented the Terry Douglas Award for excellence in community service. "It was a nice surprise and very appreciated," he said humbly.
"In a variety of ways, he's just a very, very big part of the community by volunteering his time," added Sheasgreen of Sperling's recognition. "His efforts are over and beyond what are called for and he's just a fantastic, positive person in the community."
