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Since the purchase of the Southeast Campus in 2017, Covenant has remained steadfast in its desire to offset health care gaps with the provision of communitybased services. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the lack of emergency space at Grey Nuns Community Hospital and it became clear that a paradigm shift in the delivery of health care from dependence on hospitals to communitybased care was needed more than ever.

In a public/private partnership with Rohit Group of Companies, the Wellness Community project is a multi-phased development that utilizes innovative designs developed in collaboration with Hodgson Schilf Evans Architects to provide person-centred care to patients, residents, and families from all backgrounds. While the pandemic reinforced the need for additional emergency spaces and health-care services, it also served to add colour to Covenant’s bold vision.

“There’s much more we can do with this project,” says Dumelie. “This project became a vision for the future of health care and a vision that can be spread across the entire province.”

It can be said that the ‘soul’ of this project is community, which is reiterated by Dumelie when asked about the development, “Our wellness community will welcome people from all demographics and walks of life, with a special focus on inclusion and accessibility for all.”

The Wellness Community will be located in the heart of Mill Woods, just blocks from the Grey Nuns Community Hospital and Valley Line LRT. It will serve one of Edmonton’s most diverse and fastest-growing neighbourhoods, with a population that has nearly doubled over the last 20 years. Phase 1 of the development, which consists of a community health centre, will offer more than 200,000 square feet of space for health and wellness services, and construction is well underway. The new Wellness Community project will play a vital role in strengthening the community not only by providing health-care services, but also education and employment opportunities, as well as creating partnerships with other community organizations.

When asked about the importance of this project to the community, as well as for Bird Construction, Madziong shares, “The impact that this development is going to have on the community is going to be significant. Covenant recognized the potential of a great solution and this is something that certainly resonates with Bird. We’re glad to be a part of it.”

Project manager, Je Hanz Daza, agrees, “It’s an honour for Bird to be involved in making Covenant Health’s vision a reality. Partnership and collaboration within the team (HSEA, Rohit, Covenant Health, Covenant Foundation, and all of our trade partners) is really evident in the day-today activities on site. The team is happy to be part of this amazing build.”

President and CEO of Covenant Foundation, Lisa Munro, echoes the sentiment, “We’re tremendously grateful to be partnering with Covenant Health and Bird Construction to help support the Covenant Wellness Community, which will be an absolute game-changer for seniors’ health in Edmonton.”

Covenant Health’s new Wellness Community is slated to open in 2025 and we, as a community, will be one step closer to ensuring that the part is, in fact, as well as the whole. u

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