The daily hustle and bustle continues at the front of the Richmond Hospital, even as the $1.9 billion reconstruction project is underway.
But at the back of the hospital, as seen from Minoru Park, demolition work is going on to deconstruct what is known as “The Rotunda.”
The Rotunda, at the southeast corner of the hospital, served originally as a 75-bed long-term care centre before it was relocated to the Minoru Residence in 1993.
Since then, the Rotunda has been used for a variety of purposes, playing a “vital role as a hub for various health-care services and teams within Richmond Hospital,” according to Vancouver Coastal Health.
Tom So, senior manager of facilities, maintenance and operations at Richmond Hospital, explained the Rotunda underwent four or five “major renos” over the years.
He recalled one year when there was a barbecue at the hospital, a bouncy castle was moved into the Rotunda because it was raining outside.
“You know it’s had a good life and it’s time for something new to take its place,” said Brenda Wagner, a social worker at Minoru Residence. “It holds a lot of memories for people but there’s something new and exciting that’s going to happen and that’s worth celebrating.”
The Rotunda is being demolished to make way for a nine-storey acute care tower.
Demolition of the Rotunda is expected to be completed by the end of this summer.
To watch a video of So and Wagner touring the Rotunda just before its demolition, click here.
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