Parkin had the pleasure of working closely with City of Ottawa building inspectors on Queensway Carleton Hospital’s (QCH) Hotel project. At the time, Provincial orders allowed covid-related building projects to be fast tracked if building officials were included in the process. Since hotels and hospitals are separately classified under the OBC, Parkin was retained by OCH to ensure that, from a building code perspective, a building designed to be a hotel would achieve at least the same level of safety as a hospital.
The solution was successful, and it allowed the travel industry to support the healthcare system at a challenging time, when both were experiencing pressing challenges caused by the pandemic. Implementation started with the transfer of part of the 34-bed Alternative Level of Care (ALC) unit, which accommodates seniors who require care and do not have placing in a Long-Term Care residence. The hospital soon took over additional space within the hotel as it realized more opportunities for patients who could be accommodated there.