The heliport project will be built on the east side of Melfort Union Hospital (Cam Lee/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Heliport goes to tender

Melfort Heliport project goes to tender, completion date before Sept. 30

Jun 15, 2020 | 8:00 AM

The Melfort Heliport Project has gone to tender.

The project will see a heliport built on the grounds of Melfort Union Hospital.

“This is a new milestone for the Health Advocacy Committee and the heliport project that’s been ongoing now for well over a year,” Director of Development, Planning and Community Relations Brent Lutz told northeastNOW.

The committee was responsible for raising the funds for the $600,000 project. Lutz said the city reviewed the funds raised at the last council meeting and decided to proceed with construction.

“The City is responsible for the construction, then the Saskatchewan Health Authority will ultimately own and operate the facility, and [the heliport] will be used by STARS Air Ambulance,” Lutz explained.

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He says the project has been contracted for a general contractor who will be responsible for construction on the site. They will have control and supervision of any sub-contractors, and ultimately warranting that the project is completed.

Time is of the essence for most flights that involve trauma patients. Lutz said having a heliport at Melfort Hospital, and one on the roof of the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon will prevent having to use patient ground transports at any airports.

“It cuts almost an hour out of the flight time required to get someone from here to there, and that’s a very important time frame when you’re dealing with trauma situations,” Lutz said.

He said the public really stepped forward through their generosity to ensure the project will become a reality.

The tender documents indicate the anticipated completion date of the heliport project is before Sept. 30.

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cam.lee@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @camlee1974