The Blind River District Health Centre has been serving the community and surrounding area of Blind River for over 75 years.
The Health Centre got its start in 1928 with the opening of the 25 bed Robb Hospital. The Provincial Minister of Health, Dr. J. Robb, gave his support for the Red Cross Hospital, so the hospital was given his name when the dedication took place. The facility remained the Robb Hospital until 1940 when the Sisters of St. Joseph from Sault Ste Marie took over its administration. The hospital was renamed St. Joseph’s General Hospital and retained that name until 1992. With the lumber mills and area uranium mines Blind River was a steadily growing area. The hospital saw countless numbers of patients as well as provided obstetric services until the mid 1980s. As demand for care and services increased, a new wing was constructed in 1955 bringing the total beds to 55.
As the building aged, it became clear that a new facility was needed in order for the facility to continue providing the same level of care as well as accommodate the expanding services. The Urgent Caring Fundraising Campaign was therefore launched in 1987. The original new facility was 66,000 square feet with an estimated cost to construct of $18.3 million. The Board of Trustees committed $2.3 million, which meant that the community had to raise $1.3 million. After years of fundraising, the new facility was finally completed and the move to the new hospital began on June 20, 1992. The old building was put to rest in August 1995.
The new, bigger building allowed additional services to be provided to the community and the name of the facility was altered to reflect just that. In 1992 the name was changed, once again, to St. Joseph’s Health Centre.
The dwindling population of the Sisters of St. Joseph caused them to part with their sponsorship of the Health Centre to the Catholic Corporation of Ontario in 1997. A series of meetings and discussions led to a separate incorporation. In September 2001, the last Sister of St. Joseph to work at the Health Centre, Sister Dianne Bottos, retired. The Blind River District Health Centre came into being as a non-denominational community sponsored organization.
