Ontario’s Milton District Hospital Opens Doors to New Expansion

By Rachel Leber

MILTON, Ontario — The Milton District Hospital in Milton, Ontario opened doors to its new expansion on Oct. 1. The expansion offers an additional 330,000 square feet of new health care space to a community that continues to expand. The new space is projected to achieve LEED Gold status for its energy efficient-design.

Stantec Architecture, based out of New York, was the planning, design and compliance architect for the expansion. B+H Architects in Toronto, Ontario in collaboration with Baltimore-headquartered RTKL Architects served as the architects of record on the project.

The expansion features large windows and skylights that allow sunlight to pour into hospital hallways and rooms, creating a warm and homey environment for local residents coping with healthcare challenges, in addition to reducing energy costs for light and heating. Lush landscaping and courtyards are found outside many of the windows and the day surgery terrace, with the greenery continuing on the top of the building in the form of a green roof. Portions of the roofs are covered in plants and are visible from patient rooms. Stormwater is absorbed and used by the plants on the roof, as an alternative to a more traditional stormwater management system. Additionally, the green roof creates a cooling effect for the building.

The main lobby in the expansion features two-story windows, an automated donor wall, sitting area and cafeteria-style seating for those grabbing a bite to eat. To the right of the main entrance is the hospital’s new imaging department, including Milton’s first MRI scanner and fracture clinic. The expansion includes an emergency room that is three times the size of the previous and will have a capacity to serve 45,000 patients each year.

Located near the MRI area is a larger maternity department that includes everything from an early labor lounge to a Level 2A special care nursery for babies who need extra support and monitoring after birth. With specially chosen soft colors, large windows letting in plenty of natural light and local nature photos on the walls, the new nursery strives to be a homey place for new moms, babies and their families. Nine new labor, birth, recovery and post-partum (LBRP) rooms have been added to the expansion. In addition, the expansion features an operating suite dedicated to planned and emergency C-section deliveries in the maternity department, along with an associated recovery room.