The Ste. Anne Hospital Foundation held a grand opening for the new helipad at the Hospital as part of their annual Health Walk Saturday morning.

The Health Walk began in Ste. Anne at 10 A.M. and the helipad grand opening took place at 11.

Raymond LaFleche is the President of the Ste. Anne Hospital Foundation. He says back in 2017 Transport Canada decided that areas that were used regularly as helicopter landing zones needed to be certified as a heliport.

"They used to land on the property behind the hospital between four pylons and that was not proper anymore. Once we saw that at the foundation, we quickly realized that we should spear-head the construction of a helipad. Within a few weeks, we had huge support from the community. Our town fire department, Lions International, the parish, everybody wanted us to build a heliport so we did it."

LaFleche says he was amazed how quickly local business and community members stepped forward with donations and notes they are still receiving funds. He adds this helipad is very important to the community.

"The community and that includes our region, Greenland area, Richer area, to Lorette so we have a pretty big catchment area and people who live in that area, some people have half a century history with our hospital, they want our services to continue and this is just a part of the service. We will have the third certified heliport at a hospital in Manitoba."