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Show 97.5 million addition underway at hospital By MARK EDDINGTON Staff Writer BOUNTIFUL Utah Gov. -Norm Bangerter joined county and jTf al dignitaries Friday morning to jticipate in the groundbreaking for a three story addition to the South Davis Community Hospital. Bangerter, along with South I Davis Director Gordon W. Bennett, O County Commissioner Gayle Stevenson, Bountiful City Councilman Coun-cilman Leslie Foy and hospital board chairman Newell Parkin took part in the ceremonial groundbreaking groundbreak-ing task as about 100 onlookers, guests and patients cheered. Construction of the new $7.5 million addition is expected to last just under a year. When it is com pleted, the number of beds will increase in-crease from 80 to 142. The building's interior will more than double, from just under 30,000 to almost 70,000 square feet. Expansion of the hospital specializing in pediatric, respiratory and other ailments, has been in the planning stages for 12 years. Bennett Ben-nett said the new addition should help alleviate the overcrowding at the hospital. "We're crowded...," said Bennett. Ben-nett. "We're trying to give them a little bit more room to enjoy life." Bennett added the expansion will enable the hospital to care for patients at about half of what the costs would be if they were treated at an acute care facility. ' 'We're going to put all our effort into getting it (the construction) done and getting it moving the way it should be so people can have the benefit of the additional space," Bennett said. Expansion was made possible with the sale last Thursday of millions of dollars worth of tax-exempt tax-exempt bonds issued by the city. South Davis Community Hospital has been operating under its current licensing as a sub-acute facility for 1 6 years. Prior to that and to Lakeview's existence, it was the county's only hospital. The current facility was built 30 years ago. Bennett said the hospital will provide the same kind of care when construction is completed, "We have a strong emphasis in pediatrics and respiratory treatment. That is really our basic thrust because we have filled a niche there that had obviously been ignored. ' ' |