Island Health will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital (also known as Saan Penn or SPH) on Saturday with a public barbecue, craft fair and historic photo viewing.
The celebrations will kick off with a craft fair and mini bazaar at the SPH auxiliary car park from 10am to 1pm.
Then, at 1:30 p.m., a ceremony will be held at the hospital's main entrance to unveil a new land acknowledgment sign created by the hospital in consultation with the four First Nations on the Saanich Peninsula.
Following the ceremony, the celebrations will continue outside Saan Penn long-term care facility with a barbecue hosted by the Saanich Peninsula Hospital and Healthcare Foundation and the Rotary Club of Sydney from 2-4 p.m.
A cake has also been donated by Thrifty Foods, and visitors can view historical displays and photographs of the hospital inside SPH's chapel.
“Saanitch Peninsula Hospital has been a trusted pillar of health care in our community for the past 50 years,” Island Health board chair Leah Hollins said in a statement Friday.
“Our dedicated staff, physicians and volunteers have worked tirelessly to provide exceptional care with compassion and expertise,” she said, “and this milestone celebrates their dedication to improving the lives of our residents.”
SPH first opened on February 8, 1974. Since then, the hospital has continued to grow to offer surgical and diagnostic services, ambulance care, emergency services, inpatient care, palliative care and long-term services.
The hospital also recently added an Indigenous liaison nurse and patient navigator.
Health officials say the landmark anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the hospital's past and look to the future.
“We are proud of the innovative approaches our team takes every day to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care,” said Erin Hall, facility director at SPH. “This anniversary reminds us of our deep roots serving Vancouver Island families.”
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