“Hopefully, our contractor will have the second storey built, which will add some much-needed office space, meeting room space and some brand new crew facilities,” he said. “The garage facility is right on schedule, so I would suspect by the end of this week, beginning of next, folks will see the second storey already there.”
Parkland Ambulance saw the need for expansion after coming to the conclusion that it had outgrown the space on Second Avenue West.
“It’s all about space for us,” Karasiuk said. “Our vehicles have gotten bigger. They’ve gotten wider. They’ve gotten longer.”
Maneuvering in and out of the garage had become a real concern for crews, Karasiuk said. The extra space will allow them the opportunity to unload properly and work safely in the garage.
“The old garage was way too narrow for us that you couldn’t back in our new ambulances and unload a stretcher properly,” he said. “The crews were twisting and turning and it wasn’t a safe environment for them.”
Expansion on the north side of the building has also allowed Parkland Ambulance to bring administration offices forward and put them at ground level.
“Many of our clients who come to visit us are seniors or people who have mobility issues. And for a number of years, we haven’t been able to allow them the opportunity to have proper access,” Karasiuk said.
The organization is still operating out of the building even though construction is ongoing.
“We’re looking forward to a completely finished building. Contractors are anticipating that we should have our crews into the garage facility by the end of this month or early December,” Karasiuk said, noting that the organization should be moving into the entire building by March 2013.
alex.dipietro@paherald.sk.ca
