A sod-turning ceremony took place this week to mark the beginning of construction for a $13 million residence that will provide accommodation for out-of-town patients and their families near the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital (GPRH).

The Ken Sargent House, south of the hospital, will offer 21 suites for patients and their families.

“As a family or an individual facing illness, there’s so many barriers,” said Ken Sargent House director Dale Bond.

“One of those big barriers is financial as well as emotional. Having supportive accommodation for families to access can help remove those barriers so they can focus more on the care of their family members.

“If the patient is receiving outpatient treatment, then they themselves can stay at the house, with or without their support system, or if there’s a patient who’s an inpatient, then their support systems can access the house.”

Bond anticipated costs for accommodation to be between $20 to $50 a night.

“Our intent is to make that very affordable for families,” she said.

The nearly 4,000 sq. m. two-storey building will feature a kitchen for guests to use, as well as a children’s play area and a library, Bond said.

“Throughout the house, there’s going to be multiple spaces where people can gather,” Bond said.

“It will be a place where people can gather and connect or just be by themselves.”

The sod-turning ceremony took place on Thursday. 

The building is expected to open in the winter of 2026, marking a decade of development since the Grande Prairie Rotary Clubs Wellness Centre Society was formed in 2016.

The initiative was formed as a joint Rotarian effort with the goal of partnering with an organization to take over the ongoing operations.

“A number of years ago, the Rotary Clubs of Grande Prairie had a vision, and their vision was to create supportive accommodation for anyone accessing medical care in Grande Prairie,” said Bond.

“And then in 2023 the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation (GPRHF) became the operating partner for the project, as well as the fundraising partner.”

The facility received its name in 2023, following a donation of $2 million from Ken Sargent to support operations moving forward.

In 2024, the Northwestern Polytechnic (NWP) donated a one-acre lot near the hospital site.

Funding for Ken Sargent House has largely been made from donations by local municipalities, Bond said.

On May 13, the Saddle Hills County approved a donation of $250,000 towards the Ken Sargent House.

“We see it as a large benefit to our residents to have the opportunity to have a place like that, to stay in such a place during hard times,” said Saddle Hills County Reeve Kristen Smith.

“We just appreciate the hard work of the individuals that are going into building such a wonderful facility to help enhance the healthcare facilities that are already in Grande Prairie.”

Bond said to date, the organization has raised $5 million for the construction of the facility, and said the organization is continuing to seek an additional $7 million from local municipalities.

“We are a regional centre so we just hope to support everyone throughout the region.”