Old Groves hospital site in Fergus has been sold

FERGUS – The former Groves Hospital site has been sold, but the buyer isn’t being revealed yet. 

The Wellington Health Care Alliance, the corporation that oversees Wellington County’s three hospitals, announced in a press release the old Groves Memorial Community Hospital demolition is now complete and the Ministry of Health (MoH) has approved the sale of the property. 

Demolition work at the former hospital at 235 Union St. in Fergus began earlier this year in May. 

“We recently received MoH approval to finalize the sale of the property after working with a real estate agent on an open bid submission process,” said Groves Hospital CEO and president Angela Stanley, in a release. “During this process, bids were received, evaluated, and compared, with the most appropriate option being selected. Terms and conditions will need to be met before announcing the successful bidder.”

The hospital closed its doors in August 2020 as the new hospital at Wellington Place opened and had been vacant since then. The MoH stopped funding to operate the old hospital site in March, 2023 after it had been used as a vaccination clinic, an OPP training facility and as a filming location after it stopped being a hospital. 

The original hospital was built in 1955 and had new wings added in 1965 and 1980. 

A committee had explored options to use the former site but it was found not to be financially viable with $48 million in repairs needed to meet current standards.

After the property sale is finalized, the release said the buyer will need to engage with the municipality for rezoning.