Sherwood Park gets non-hospital

Sherwood Park is getting a "glorified medi-clinic," not the 72-bed hospital it was promised, say frustrated councillors with Strathcona County.

"In my mind this is not a hospital," said Coun. Jason Gariepy, who learned from Alberta Health Services earlier this week that the first phase of construction doesn't include any hospital beds.

"I have two small children. Neither one of them would have been able to be delivered at this so-called hospital. If I was involved in any car collision within Strathcona County, if it's a serious collision, more than likely I'm going to be transferred to Fort Saskatchewan or to Edmonton, and I certainly won't be able to recover in my community or near my home."

Gariepy was at the hospital's groundbreaking ceremony in 2007. Construction finally began in May.