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Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital History
It all began ...
...in 1937 when a two ward, four-bed hospital is established at the corner of Eighth Line and MacDonald Road in Oakville...
1944 - A group of Oakville residents form the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital Association to raise money to build a new hospital when it becomes evident that critically ill or injured patients will not survive the trip to Toronto. The group quickly raises $100,000 for the new hospital but construction plans are put on hold until after World War II.
1945 - A temporary hospital is established by the Lion's Club on First Street. The increase to 14 beds is a drastic improvement but still does not meet the needs of the rapidly growing community.
1948 - An additional campaign is launched by the Association to raise $125,000 and in 1949 the new hospital is built.
1949 - Auxiliary to OTMH is founded with 100 members.
February 14, 1950 - Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital opens on the present site - 50 beds, 13 staff doctors, and 13 nurses. Oakville residents help move eight patients and six babies into the new hospital.
1952 - 120-bed addition is planned. Population of Oakville is 17,300.
June 1956 - Official opening of the new four-storey addition which includes powerhouse, maintenance shop, laundry and physiotherapy. Staff increases from 150 to 265.The hospital's capacity increases to 170 beds from 58.
1956 - Oakville's population has increased from 13,000 to 30,000 and shows no signs of stopping. The hospital is under stress again.
1959 - OTMH operating expenses pass the one million-dollar mark. Area population approaches 40,000.
1963 - Completion of a new wing which included new operating and recovery rooms, a chapel, new x-ray and obstetrical departments and a state of the art intensive care unit, which is one of the first in Canada. The addition brings the hospital's total to 333 beds.
1964 - A nurses' residence, the Helen Lawson building, opens. The building is named for Mrs. Raymond Lawson, wife of former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and a long-time supporter of OTMH.
1970 - Assessment for future healthcare needs forms the basis of a redevelopment program for the entire hospital. This became know as the Master Plan.
1977 - The Master Plan is approved by the Ontario Ministry of Health. The plan involves the redevelopment of the hospital in three separate but continuous building stages.
1979 - Phase one of the Master Plan is completed including a new Emergency, Radiology, Outpatient, Admitting, Laboratory, Physical Plant and Obstetrical Departments. The other phases of the plan are never completed because funding was stopped before they got underway.
October 1979 - Doctor Eric "Soapy" Soanes dies at the age of 78. Dr. Soanes was the first Chief of Staff at OTMH, a Lions Club member integral in establishing the temporary hospital.
November 11, 1979 - Mississauga Train Derailment forces the evacuation of OTMH.
March 9, 1982 - Colin and Gregory Rankin, North America's first test tube twins, are born at OTMH.
May 1986 - OTMH's CAT Scanner suite is officially opened, thanks to many months of planning and fund raising.
1991 - OTMH Charitable Corporation is formed - a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining the highest level of healthcare services to the community through ongoing financial support to OTMH.
1993 - The Auxiliary to OTMH makes its second $ 1 million pledge to the hospital's New Equipment fund raising campaign.
1994 - Grand opening of the newly renovated Auxiliary Gift Shop.
1995 - September is proclaimed OTMH Month by Mayor Ann Mulvale to mark the completion of the three-year $49 million redevelopment and expansion program.
1996 - The first OTMH Classic is run through Olde Oakville raising $6,600.
August 1, 1998 - At the direction of the Health Services Restructuring Commision, Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and Milton District Hospital form one corporate body named Halton Healthcare Services Corporation.
1999 - Permanent funding is received to establish a 34-bed Rehab Unit at the OTMH site.
1999 - Application is made to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to develop the high school site into a long term care facility in partnership with Extendicare Canada.
2000 - OTMH celebrates fifty years of community healthcare.
March 2001 - HHS completes the renovation and expansion of the OTMH Emergency and Ambulatory Care Department. The 18-month construction project included the complete renovation of the existing department plus the addition of 6,000 square feet in new clinical space. Also developed was a new 12,000 square foot ambulatory care area to house services such as the Halton Diabetes Program, the Eye Clinic, ConnectCare and the Psychiatric Partial Hospitalization Program.
June 2004 - The Renal Dialysis Unit at OTMH expands its scope by providing Peritoneal Dialysis Service to patients.
September 19, 2005 - The Government of Ontario announces that a new hospital will be built in Oakville.
April 2007 - The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at OTMH opens additional beds in a newly expanded and renovated space. The expansion brings the number of beds in the unit to 18. The original unit, built in 1995, had 12 beds.
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