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k 6 - THE PORT PERRY STAR i Lid DE ie SL oo WT RRR OFFICIAL COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL EXPANSION SECTION TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1995 Sincere Congratulations to the Community Memorial Hospital from BR@C KS 168 Queen St., Port Perry ( 905) 985-2521 BRECK'S for Kids 178 Queen St., Port Perry (905) 985-8797 We extend our continued support to the Community Memorial Hospital from all of us at cco AND QPERATTD BY we 5 OF cuca tsLaND-1RS Wo ~ Gallery of Arts & Crafts ~ 191 Queen St., Port Perry, Ont. LOL 1B8 (905) 985-4977 % LISHMAINS We're behind you all the way Congratulations "A Gallery of Functional Art" 158 Queen St., Port Perry 985-0574 Community Memorial Hospital Quality health care provided in community for over a century By Kent Farndale and Gwenyth Thompson HE year1946 was a memorable one for the townships of Reach, Scugog and Cartwright, and the town of Port Perry. On October 24, a charter to operate a public hospital in Port Perry was received. It was granted by the Province of Ontario, and signed by the Provincial Secretary, Roland Michener. Since the arrival of its first settlers, township citizens Port Perry Community Memorial Hospital, Lilla St. (now Simcoe St.) was officially opened on January 7, 1953." had been blessed with superb health care, provided by caring neighbors and by satchel-carrying physicians who resided in the small settlements. Later, private hospitals provided a place where operations were per- formed and convalescence took place. However, by 1946, as Mr. Farmer wrote in the April 1 edition of the Port Perry Star, the time had come "when citizens must assume some responsibility in operating our hospital." "Stitches in Time" was ifistigated by Chief Executive Officer, David Brown, and written and compiled by a committee of: Kent Farndale, Gwenyth Thompson. Norma Wolfe, and Joan Ongley. It chronicles the evolution, for over a century, of health care in Scugog Township. Historically, the story unfolded as inventions such as the telephone and auto- mobile; events in society such as war and pression; the steady re-evaluation of health care bythe Ministry and rapid advancement in technology. All affected the delivery of health care. The story follows the growth of Community Memorial Hospital from its modest begin- ning to the opening of the modern facility on May 12, 1995. PRIVATE HOSPITALS HE first hospital "as such" of which we have a record was built in Williamsburg (Blackstock) in 1869. It was called the Medical Hall, and was a separate wing built in the home of Dr. Montgomery. It was comprised of an office, with operat- ing and recovery rooms upstairs. Dr. Montgomery left Blackstock in 1882, and we do not know if the second floor rooms were used beyond that year, but we do know that from 1869 - 1966 (97 years), the house and office were continually used by succeeding physicians. The house still stands at 3479 Church Street in Blackstock. In the early 1900s, the Drs. Archer (David and Robert) had a private hospital for their patients. It was set up in the Colburn house, which was situated on what is now the campus of the Port Perry High School. Mrs. Sprague, of Prince Albert, was the Matron in charge of this hospital. It remained open until the time of the death of Dr. Robert Archer, in 1927. In 1919, Grace Cormack Swan, with her three child- ren, moved to Port Perry, and rented rooms for a hospi- tal on the second floor of the former Port Perry Star building at 235 Queen Street. It was a two-bed facility, with a large room at the front for operations. In 1926 or 1927, Mrs. Swan purchased the large house which stands at 96 John Street, Port Perry, and converted it into her second hospital. It was an eleven-bed facility. Mrs. Swan is remembered with great respect by long time residents of Scugog. She was indeed a pioneer of hospitals in Scugog Township. When Mrs. Swan retired to her Utica farm in 1930, she sold the John Street hospital to Nellie Whitmore, who for 16 years provided nursing service to the resi- dents of our community. Memories of her loving care abound, and many anecdotes are recorded in the manu- script of the history book. By 1946, Mrs. Whitmore wanted to sell her hospital, and it was then that the aforementioned quote by Mr. Farmer was made. The era of the private hospital in our community had ended. APUBLIC HOSPITAL | HE research for this book has revealed time wf and time again that the township hasbeen for- | - tunate for half a century to have dedicated members of the Board of Directors and the sup-- port of its citizens. In June 1946, officials from the four municipalities, Port Perry, Reach, Cartwright, and Scugog, met to tack- le the hospital problem. They took a giant step. It was decided to purchase the John Street Hospital from Mrs. Whitmore, and establish a public hospital. It would be named Community Memorial Hospital, Port Perry. "Community" because it would be available to, and sup- ported by the above-mentioned municipalities; "Memo- rial" because in 1946, memories were vivid of the many young people who had served in World Wars I and IT; "Port Perry" to designate its location in the centre of the commerce of our township. Acharter was applied for and received, setting the wheels in motion for a public hospital. Two years of frustration and disappointment followed. Instead of the licence to operate, government officials arrived to inspect the building. No government grant could be received until costly repairs and additions to the build- ing were completed; municipalities had no authority to allocate funds to a hospital that was not public. It was a Catch 22 situation! The officials did not give up. They changed course and charged ahead, confident that support would be forth- coming from a caring community. The John Street Hospital would be sold, debts paid, and the balance put toward a new hospital, 'erected through local subscrip- tion and governmerit grants. The John Street Hospital officially closed March 18, 1949. COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Lilla Street, Port Perry UDDENLY, after two years of depression, fol- lowed by five years of war, the people of Scugog were beset with another problem. The closing of Please Turn to Page 7