Stollery Children's Hospital opens new $18.65M surgery clinic in Edmonton

The Stollery Children's Hospital is opening a new pediatric surgery clinic Friday, Aug. 17, marking the completion of an $18.65-million expansion that nearly doubles its operating capacity.

The clinic, housed at the Kaye Edmonton Clinic, grew out of years of planning as demand for pediatric surgical care outpaced the old space. "Our previous surgery clinic space was home for that team for several years, but the demand has increased. Technologies have advanced. We just simply outgrew our space," said Christine Westerlund, the Stollery's senior operating officer.

The redesign is substantial. Operating rooms jumped from 14 to 23. Diagnostic treatment areas, rehab space, and procedure areas all expanded. The new space includes plenty of windows, bright colours, and custom murals by local artist Jason Blower depicting Edmonton landmarks — a deliberate choice to create a therapeutic environment for child patients.

Dana Nagel, whose two children received care at the Stollery, felt the difference immediately. "There's a whole massive wall of beautiful open windows where you can see out. You can see the sun shining through. It doesn't feel like you're cramped," she said. Her daughter Emma was a patient from age one; her son Cameron since birth. "To have this new surgery clinic with all the amazing amenities, space, and built purposefully for the children and families will literally change lives."

The expanded collaboration space between care teams was also a priority in the design, addressing a constraint of the old facility that made coordination difficult during complex cases.