Fonds crha-2033 - Salvation Army Grace Hospital fonds

The predecessor of the Salvation Army Grace Hospital, a small home caring for unwed mothers, opened in 1910 at 11th Ave and 1st St SE. Demand grew quickly and in 1924 the Salvation Army bought the former Bishop Pinkham College at 8th Ave and 13th St NW to establish a maternity hospital. In 1926 the Grace Maternity Hospital and Girls Home opened. Its focus was maternity care for unwed mothers, but the quality of care and the growth of Calgary led to demand from married women as well. The hospital soon became overcrowded, and in 1954 a new west wing opened, providing space for additional public services and for staff living quarters. In 1958 another floor was added to the west wing and a separate building constructed to house hospital staff. More alterations were made to the west wing in the following years. The next major renovation of the hospital, the demolition of the original building and construction of a new south wing, began in 1965 and was completed in 1967. The hospital now had 100 beds and offered a broad range of women's health programs. When construction of the south wing began, the unwed mother program was moved, and in 1966 it ended. In the early years most administrative positions at the hospital were filled by Salvation Army officers, but as the hospital grew and Salvation Army membership dwindled, many positions were filled by members of the public. However, high-ranking Salvation Army officers remained on the Board of Directors, and the Salvation Army made the final selection of the Executive Director, who was always a member of the Army. In the 1980s the hospital underwent renovations and program changes. The Women's Health Unit opened in 1986 and the hospital's name changed to the Salvation Army Grace Hospital Women's Health Centre. The hospital faced possible closure in the mid-1980s, but avoided it through downsizing. In 1995 the Calgary Regional Health Authority assumed responsibility for health care in Calgary. The maternity program at the Grace ended January 31, 1995, and the hospital closed in March 1996. The Women's Health Resources Program was transferred to Foothills Hospital, to be administered by a committee appointed by the Salvation Army.