BY DAN RYAN
Another significant milestone has been reached in the $110.2 million Cowra Hospital redevelopment, a project that has been a long-standing priority for the community. The building’s structural framework is now complete, marking a key step in the hospital’s transformation.
Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, visited the site to inspect the progress, joined by the Hon. Stephen Lawrence MLC, Cowra Shire Council Mayor Paul Smith, and Western Local Health Advisory Chairman Mr Graham Parker.
“This is a project we have fought hard for since 2017, and I am thrilled to see the new Cowra Hospital reach another milestone,” Ms Cooke said.
“This is a significant moment for the Cowra community and surrounding areas. It reflects a commitment to investing in vital health infrastructure, building a hospital fit for future generations.”
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“New and upgraded hospitals are not just about the services they provide. They are also crucial for attracting and retaining the doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals, that we need to serve our communities,” Ms Cooke said.
Work will now progress to the internal fit-out, installation of services, and external facade works.
Mayor Paul Smith praised the milestone, as well as the bipartisan support for the infrastructure project, the biggest in the region.
"I suppose we'll now see things slow down from the outside, with everything else happening inside, when we've seen so much happening outside. It's a great day, a great milestone. The people of Cowra can't get this quickly enough. I think both parties have done a wonderful job getting this going as quick as they have and the people of Cowra are really looking forward to it."
Duty MLC for Cootamundra Stephen Lawrence also acknowledged the projects success across party lines, saying "This is a really important project that has spanned two governments, it's really important to acknowledge the work of the previous government and the work of local member Steph Cooke who has contributed a lot to this project."
"This is an incredibly important project. 110.2 million dollars - not often does a community see this sort of investment. This project is anticipated to be finished next year, but there's still a lot of work to do. The Cowra community is getting exactly what it needs and deserves, a modern, purpose built hospital that will serve it into the future for decades."
The construction of the new hospital has involved 25 local businesses, delivering a significant boost to the local economy, and providing direct employment for numerous local contractors.
Ms Cooke described the scope of the hospital as "transformative," saying "When completed, this state-of-the-art health facility will feature an emergency department, a general medical and surgical inpatient ward, a peri-operative service, a maternity unit with a dedicated nursery, ambulatory care, a dental clinic, renal dialysis, oncology services, the hospital’s first CT scanner, and Community Health and Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol services."
