Ajax Pickering Hospital celebrates some major milestones in 2024!

Ajax Pickering Hospital | 1954 – 2024

November 21st, 2024 is the 60th anniversary of the opening of east tower of the Ajax Pickering Hospital, but this year the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation is also celebrating several other milestones in our hospital’s history.

1954 (70 years) The Ajax Pickering General Hospital opens at 580 Harwood Ave South The building was moved from its original location near Ajax Town Hall where it had been erected during WWII as part of the Defense Industries Limited complex (where the Bomb Girls worked!) click here for more information
1964 (60 years) The Hospital moves into its new home, currently known as the East Tower. This building was an architectural wonder for its time and was designed by the same architect who went on to design Ontario Place and the Eaton Centre in Toronto. click here for more information
1994 (30 years) The West Tower opens drastically increasing the capacity of the hospital: renovating the operating rooms expanding day surgical unit & PACU (main floor) Labour & Delivery (main floor) the ICU (second floor) paediatrics (fourth floor) And adding inpatient mental health (third floor) click here for more information
2009 (15 years) The new Emergency Department opens in the new North Tower. The rest of the expansion would officially open in 2011, and included Cardiac & Diagnostic Imaging Lab Ambulatory Care Unit Complex Continuing Care click here for more information

To celebrate our hospital’s place in our community, and the huge generosity & support we have received over the last seven decades, the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation has created a historical showcase along the main hallway.

Display cabinets include a range of memorabilia including the original hospital charter, Mr. MacInnis’ handwritten ledger book, the 1963 corner stone, a brick from the “Buy a Brick” campaign, and china that would have served many meals. And the historical panels tell the stories of each of the major developments.

We also put up some “then & now” photos in different spots in the hospital, like:

left image

L – Mr. Ken MacInnis (hospital administrator, 1954-1992)

R – Brian Pollard (HSE) in the same office

right image

L – 1964 in the new east tower (where the current L&D nurses’ station is)

R – MNS staff with bassinets from 1994 & 2024

And trivia books were distributed around the hospital for staff to complete for their chance to win a prize!  Click here to read the questions and answers.