Local photos selected for display on walls of new hospital

GRANDE PRAIRIE – More than 60 photos shot and submitted by area residents have been chosen to adorn the walls of the new regional hospital.

The images were chosen from more than 1,300 submitted during Alberta Health Services photo campaign in 2019. Photographers were encouraged to share pictures they had taken from the area that the new hospital will serve. This includes a vast swath of land from the boundary where Alberta meets the Northwest Territories, east to the areas around Fox Creek and High Prairie, south to the Rocky Mountains around Grande Cache, and west to the B.C. border.

“We were overwhelmed by the volume and quality of amazing images we received,” says Stacy Greening, AHS Senior Operating Officer for Grande Prairie and North Zone Addictions and Mental Health. “We know that art, in its various forms, plays a vital role in wellness and healing. It is our hope that these timeless scenes will provide our patients, families and staff with inspiration and comfort for years to come.”

A working group comprised of local staff and stakeholder volunteers reviewed all the photographs and arrived at a shortlist. AHS and the hospital design group then worked together to finalize the images to be permanently displayed. The photos depict prairie landscapes, skyscapes, rivers and lakes, flora and fauna — shot in each season and using creative angles.

The campaign was open to all, including professional and hobby photographers.

Doug Fletcher’s photo of a chipmunk was amongst those selected, taken not far from the new hospital site near the Bear Creek reservoir. The Grande Prairie resident has also been involved in the hospital’s construction, working with a contractor installing glass and windows.

“After work, I would grab my camera and scoot down to the reservoir for some peace and quiet,” says Fletcher. “Photography has been something I’ve been drawn to since I was a teenager and nature has always been close to my heart. When I heard AHS was looking for photos for the new hospital, it seemed like a unique opportunity.”

Photographers retain copyright to their images and will receive credit for their work. Photographers’ names and the title of their photo will appear on each graphic. Once the facility opens next year, images will also be identified at a central location in the facility, accessible to all – patients, staff and the public. The selected images can be viewed here at together4health.albertahealthservices.ca/newGPhospital.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.