Calgary’s Peter Lougheed Centre celebrates 25 years

Story by Janet Mezzarobba

Since opening its doors a quarter-century ago, Calgary’s Peter Lougheed Centre has become a centre of excellence in health care.

The Peter Lougheed Centre (PLC) opened its doors on Aug. 5, 1988, and to commemorate the occasion, Premier Alison Redford, Health Minister Fred Horne, past and present donors, and community members gathered Sept. 4 to celebrate not only what the hospital means to the community but the strides it has made in delivering health care within the Calgary Zone of Alberta Health Services (AHS).

“In 1988, the 506,000-sq.-ft. facility was the latest and greatest,” says Terry Holden, unit manager of the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. “We were so excited to be moving into this high-tech, state-of-the-art facility and provide our patients with the best possible care.”

Over its 25-year history, the centre has been an essential part of the community, providing services in several key areas, including vascular health, endoscopic therapy, chronic disease management and mental health.

Wayne Louie, who works in the cardiovascular labs at PLC, attended the opening ceremonies for the new hospital in 1988 and was part of the original care team at the hospital.

“The facility was considered technologically advanced and ahead of its time,” he says.

Louie, who was a physician in his native China before coming to Canada in 1981, could never have predicted the advancements at the site and in medicine as a whole.

“The advances in technology over the last 25 years are incredible,” he says. “We can complete exams so much more quickly and precisely than we ever thought possible 25 years ago.”

When it opened, the facility boasted 300 beds, seven surgical suites, and performed approximately 4,900 surgeries every year. Today, the PLC has 576 inpatient beds and 14 surgical suites that provide more than 32,300 procedures every year.

“Since 1996, the PLC has been under continual renovations to accommodate the ever- expanding need for programs to meet growing demand,” says site project manager Nick Kunn.

“We expanded the ambulatory and parkade areas, and added a helipad in 1997. This was followed by a day surgery unit, endoscopy unit, and intensive care unit/critical care unit expansion the following year.”

The most recent growth occurred in the emergency department in 2001, and the construction of the east tower, which began in 2005 and was completed in 2010.

Holden also was part of the original team when PLC first opened its doors.

“I have made lifelong friends, learned valuable lessons, and have had a varied and satisfying career here,” she says. “I’m so proud to have been a part of the original team, and will continue to foster that team spirit here that we’ve had since Day One.”

Louie concurs.

“I have stayed here all these years because of the people I work with. There is a spirit of consideration here – we all work together and are a really close team,” he says.

According to registered nurse Laurel Whiting, the next 25 years will be a period of continued growth, and even greater technological advancements.

“I can’t wait to see what the next 25 years will bring. I anticipate we will be able to diagnose and treat patients and identify diseases even more efficiently, with technology we can only dream of today,” she says. “I want to be part of a care team that can help patients navigate their road to wellness in the most effective way possible. This is what being in health care is all about.”