by Sarah Benson-Lord
Trail Museum and Archives
This week, 70 years ago, Trail residents toured the brand new Trail-Tadanac Hospital, built on bench land above East Trail.
The new 150-bed facility replaced the old Trail-Tadanac Hospital, which was located between Pine and Bay Avenues on Victoria Street.
Construction started in early September 1952 on the $2 million facility ($23 million in today’s currency), thanks to an active and effective board.
The hospital at the time was led by the Trail-Tadanac Hospital Society Board, formed in 1926 when the first Trail-Tadanac Hospital opened with 50 beds.
Cominco constructed and owned the building, but turned operations over to the society.
The board was comprised of seven members.
Tadanac’s reeve appointed two people from that municipality, Trail’s mayor appointed two from this city, Trail’s city council appointed two members, and the Province of BC appointed one member.
The facility underwent a major extension in 1931, funded by the city and the society, doubling its patient occupancy.
Despite the growth, the hospital was always crowded.
In 1944, Cominco encouraged the society to become a self-sustaining operation, donating $150,000 as incentive.
With the gift came the stoppage of all utility services Cominco provided, including heat, water, power, and even oxygen.
The society planned another extension with the funds.
In 1948, with little desire to expand the downtown site, the society used a portion Cominco’s donation to purchase the bench land in East Trail for a new, modern facility.
With commitment and substantial funding from the provincial government, project planning began.
By 1949, most hospitals in B.C. received funding from the newly formed BC Hospital Insurance Service, when the coalition Liberal-Conservative government of the day passed an “Act to Provide for Establishment of Hospital Insurance and Financial Aid to Hospitals.”
Prior to this, hospitals were funded by local municipalities, grants from the province and, of course, fees for service.
With the BC Hospital Insurance Service, residents registered for hospital insurance and paid premiums.
This meant hospitals benefited from a more reliable revenue stream.
Trail’s connection to this new act was a close one, when Rossland-Trail MLA AD Turnbull, elected in 1949, was assigned the role of Minister of Health and Welfare, which included the Hospital Insurance Branch and a new Hospital Construction Division.
A 1950 hospital report recommended at 130-bed facility for Trail, but the board succeeded in obtaining approvals for 150 beds.
The new facility designed accommodated a further 50-bed future expansion.
Equipped with all modern conveniences like a self-operating elevator, rubber floors, solariums, south-facing wards, and contemporary design elements, the community was welcomed on July 16, 1954 to marvel at the work.
Moving day occurred later in the month.
The hospital assumed the name of Trail Regional Hospital in 1970, following a facility expansion and the amalgamation of Trail and Tadanac the year before.
We know it now as the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital.
