RVAP Redevelopment

Rouge Valley Health System is currently undertaking a major redevelopment and expansion of our Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering (RVAP) hospital campus. The expansion will mean about 140,000 square feet of new and/or renovated space for services. Construction work began in 2006, and the project is expected to be complete by the end of 2010.

On this page: What's new? | What will redevelopment mean? | Archived news | Your support is appreciated

Quick description

The redevelopment of Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering hospital campus is approaching its completion and official opening in late 2010. The expansion will mean about 70,000 square feet of new space plus 70,000 square feet of renovated space for hospital services. Construction work began in 2006, and the project is expected to be complete in 2010.

In 2009, the hospital opened the new emergency department. The need for it was obvious. The previous emergency department had been built to handle 20,000 patient visits a year but has been seeing 47,000 from the growing communities of Ajax, Pickering and Whitby. The new emergency department space is designed to care for 60,000 patient visits a year. The complex continuing care unit caters to the health needs of patients, post-acute-care, and offers needed services to the growing aging population and patients with rehabilitation needs.

The redevelopment also offers a new lab, more modern diagnostic imaging, cardiac diagnostics, new ambulance bays and more. The $94.5 million redevelopment represents the largest single investment by Rouge Valley Health System and the provincial government since RVHS was created in 1998.

What's new?

Temporary Road Access Changes at RVAP

As of Monday, July 19, the connecting road from the Harwood Avenue entrance to the hospital at Emperor Street to the road that goes around to the west side of the hospital will be temporarily closed. In order to access the west entrance and the visitor parking lot, the public should either enter the hospital from Centennial Road or use the new access road from Harwood southbound. Staff will still be able to access the staff parking lot from the Harwood Avenue entrance at Emperor Street.

The road leading to the doctors' parking and the short-term parking for the Diabetes Education Centre (DEC) and Foundation trailer will also be temporarily closed. To get to the doctors' parking, doctors will need to enter through the staff parking lot. There will also be short-term parking available for visitors to the DEC and Foundation, which should be accessed through the staff parking lot.

There will be a security officer on site Monday and Tuesday morning to assist with traffic control. Signs are being posted to direct visitors and patients driving into the hospital. This re-routing is being done to allow for paving and new curbs to be installed as part of our major redevelopment. These measures will remain in effect for roughly three weeks.

Download site map to view these temporary road access changes.

New Phase of Construction at RVAP to Close off East Side of Hospital

Starting Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, the next phase of construction for our RVAP redevelopment project began on the east (Harwood Avenue) side of the hospital. Several major changes and renovations are being made, including the addition of an all-new building.

Due to this construction, the front of the east side of the hospital is zoned off. This means that patients and visitors can no longer use the entrances on this side of the hospital (by Harwood Avenue).

Instead, patients patients and visitors should use the west entrances to access the hospital. We are helping to facilitate this by reserving the west parking lot for patients and visitors. Please note that there are also a limited number of disabled and short-term parking spaces on the east side of the hospital for patients and visitors to access the Foundation and diabetic education centre (DEC) trailers.

This phase of construction on the east side is expected to continue until the end of summer 2010.

Download site map to view where construction is happening and where the entrances are.

RVAP Parking Changes

As of Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, RVAP's west parking lot (along Centennial Road) has been reserved for patients and visitors. This change is aimed at providing patients and visitors with the parking spots that are nearest to the west entrance of the hospital, which is closest to our new emergency department and related services.

There are also a limited number of disabled and short-term parking spaces located near the Foundation and diabetic education centre (DEC) trailers on the south side of the hospital. These parking spaces are solely for access to the Foundation and DEC trailers.

The east parking lot (along Harwood Avenue) is reserved for use by staff only. Entrance to this lot requires ID cards.

Thank you for following our new parking procedures.

Download site map to view parking lots.

RVAP Emergency Department Opening Celebration & Sneak Preview

On Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21, Rouge Valley celebrated the completion of our new emergency department and related services with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a VIP tour and a public open house. Both days were a great success, attended by politicians, the media, business owners, EMS, police, firefighters, donors, residents and community members, and of course our own hospital staff, physicians and auxiliary volunteers.

We thank all of our friends and generous donors for supporting the construction and equipping of our new emergency department at RVAP, and special thanks to the Municipality of Durham Region for their continued support.

Related links

What will redevelopment mean?

Here are some details of what the redevelopment of RVAP will mean to our growing Durham families.

New Emergency Department

Construction will provide space for the anticipated 60,000 patient visits a year. Currently staff and physicians care for 42,000-plus patients a year in a space designed for 20,000.
A special area to treat patients who may have come in contact with dangerous chemicals is also part of the design.
Ambulances will access the Emergency Department by a dedicated road through a new four-bay covered entrance.

New Diagnostic Imaging and Cardiac Diagnostic Area

New and better designed space will improve access in the Diagnostic Imaging and Cardiac Diagnostic areas of the hospital.
New equipment will be installed in this space and cardiac education will be enhanced.

New Laboratory

A new lab will be built.
Services will continue to be provided for inpatients and outpatients.

New Complex Continuing Care Unit

This new 30-bed unit will allow the hospital to care for patients who are transitioning from acute care to long term care or home.

Expanded Ambulatory Care Unit

Will provide space for outpatient clinic visits, a fracture clinic, outpatient procedures, medical day care and pre-admit visits.

Archived news

View past news and updates about our redevelopment effort at RVAP:

Your support is appreciated

Major donations from RVAP Auxilliary and Ontario Power Generation have already enabled the hospital to purchase a new CT Scanner (upgraded with federal funds) and to equip a Nuclear Medicine Suite.

To support your community hospital, please contact our Foundation at 905-683-2320 ext. 1501. Visit the Foundation website.