The Goulburn Base Hospital redevelopment took a major step on Tuesday with the installation of a tall project tower crane.
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Work has ramped up on the $150m project in the past few months and on Monday, preparations were well underway for the crane's arrival.
Components arrived on the rear of semitrailers and were to be installed on Tuesday and Wednesday, using a 130 tonne mobile crane.
Traffic controllers will be in place on Faithfull Street during the set-up to ensure safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles. A Health spokesman said construction vehicles would also use dedicated routes to minimise the impact on local streets.
Southern NSW Local Health District (SNSWLHD) Northern Cluster general manager Denis Thomas said once the tower crane was installed and operational the redevelopment would "really start to take shape."
It will facilitate construction of the four-storey clinical services building and remain in place for 12 to 18 months.
Meantime, the Health District is running a 'Name-the-Crane' competition involving local primary schools in coming weeks.
Mr Thomas said it was "a fun and creative way for schools to be involved in one of the biggest hospital infrastructure projects in our region." Everyone who is eligible is encouraged to enter.
Enabling works, which prepared the ground for the main work, were completed last June and construction started in October.
"Work is continuing to progress in 2020, with the first concrete pour for the main works component of the project completed in January," a spokeswoman said.
The lower ground floor in the clinical services building, including the emergency department and medical imaging room will be completed first. Contractors Hansen Yuncken were appointed last year to undertake construction.
At that stage, the project was on to its third set of architects in an attempt to refine the design and find cost savings. Health Infrastructure chief executive, Rebecca Wark, said at the time that the refinements meant more could be afforded for less.
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The changes included a cream-coloured horizontal stripe to the facade, considered a better blend in the heritage area, a mortuary and central sterilising tooms for theatres.
The four-storey building also includes the main entry and hospital reception, intensive care unit, operating theatres, day surgery and recovery areas, medical, surgical, paediatric, rehabilitation and geriatric inpatient units with specific designated palliative care beds, maternity unit and birthing suite, as well as ambulatory paediatric and antenatal clinics.
In related news, an enforcement period for timed parking around the hospital started on January 31. It involves two and four-hour zones, along with resident parking. Special permits have been issued for the latter.
The council extended the grace period from November 14 until the end of January to raise awareness of the new regime.
A spokesman said no parking fines had been issued in the precinct since January 31.
"At present we have had no complaints relating to parking in the area, and are happy with how this is operating now that construction has begun on the Goulburn Base Hospital redevelopment," he said.
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