Century-old health care building ‘carefully’ moved across Bowmanville Hospital grounds

Lakeridge Health opened a new chapter in health care in Clarington on the weekend as a building linked to hospital care in Bowmanville for a celebrfated new digs a few hundred metres from where it has stood since 1926.

As part of the Lakeridge Health Bowmanville Hospital redevelopment, Lambert House, a century-old heritage building, was relocated through a careful move to its new home on the Prince Street side of the hospital property.

The house, which originally served as the home of Bowmanville Hospital’s nurse training program for nearly two decades, was relocated this weekend from its current location on Mabel Bruce Way to the other side of the grounds to face Prince Street.

Maria Petri, the CEO of the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation, called it a “very special moment” for Bowmanville.

“As Lambert House marks 100 years and the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation celebrates 50 years, it is meaningful to see this historic building become part of the future hospital experience. Lambert House reminds us of where care in our community began. Its new home at the heart of the redeveloped Bowmanville Hospital is a powerful symbol of how we are honouring our past while building the future of healthcare for patients and families across Durham Region.”

Through careful heritage oversight, Lambert House was carefully conserved throughout the relocation process and the move was carried out with meticulous planning to preserve the building’s architectural character and historical integrity.

Placing Lambert House at the new hospital entrance means every patient and visitor will pass the building where Bowmanville’s tradition of care began; a gateway between Lambert House’s original story in nursing and Bowmanville’s modern, state-of-the-art health-care facility.

“Today marks an exciting milestone for the Clarington community. For nearly 100 years, Lambert House has been a symbol of care, compassion, and connection. By giving it a place of prominence at the entrance of the future, redeveloped Bowmanville Hospital, we’re honouring that legacy while building for what’s next,” said Lakeridge Health CEO Cynthis Davis. “This transformation will bring modernized health care closer to home for the people of Clarington and help us meet the needs of a rapidly growing Durham Region.”

Built in 1926, the Lambert House continued its institutional use until 1941. Over the years, it has also served as office space for the Durham Regional Health Unit and the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation.

An initial proposal had the building moved home onto Liberty Street, but the new plan allowed the structure to be moved through the hospital property only, rather than using surface streets, and will also provide an appropriate transition between the hospital and the residential neighbourhood to the east.

The current site of Lambert House will eventually become part of the redeveloped Bowmanville Hospital site, providing Durham Region with expanded access to critical health-care services for generations to come. In its new location, Lambert House will be positioned by the entrance of the redeveloped Bowmanville Hospital.

The move represents a significant milestone and arrives in a year of celebration for the Bowmanville community, which marks both the 100th anniversary of Lambert House and the 50th anniversary of the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation.

“Lambert House is one of Bowmanville’s most recognizable heritage landmarks, and its careful relocation on the hospital property demonstrates that growth and preservation can go hand in hand,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster. “Clarington worked closely with Lakeridge Health to ensure the building’s architectural character and historical integrity were maintained throughout this process. Seeing Lambert House take a prominent place at the hospital entrance reflects our strong support for preserving its legacy while making room to build a state-of-the-art hospital here in our community.”

With Durham Region’s population expected to double by 2041, the demand for care is rising faster than the hospital’s current infrastructure can support and the Lambert House’s move was required to make way for the redevelopment of the hospital, a project that will double the hospital’s size, modernize care and expand essential services, reducing the need to travel outside of the community for care.

Once complete, the Bowmanville Hospital will include a new ambulatory care clinics, a Haemodialysis Centre, Level 3 Critical Care capacity and a rooftop helipad to support rapid access to emergency services.