Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – Yesterday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), Mayor Mike Nicholson, State Senator Anne Gobi, and State Representatives Jon Zlotnik and Susannah Whipps visited Heywood Hospital’s surgical pavilion expansion project. The American Rescue Plan (ARPA) provided state and local funding, $500,000 of which is being used to fund the project.

“This project truly represents why we worked so hard to pass the American Rescue Plan in 2021. We imagined this whole-of-government approach to recovery from the pandemic that ensures our health care workers in community hospitals like Heywood have the resources they need to care for patients,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “I’m grateful to Mayor Mike Nicholson, Senator Gobi, Representative Zlotnik and Representative Whipps for their partnership and advocacy on behalf of this critically important project.”

“Heywood Hospital plays an integral role in our community- both as our main healthcare provider and our largest employer. I’m happy to see officials on every level of government coming together to support this expansion project and increase what we are able to offer to the regions residents,” said Mayor Nicholson. “I want to thank Congresswoman Trahan for her efforts to bring federal funding to the region and for being a constant friend to us in Gardner.”

“These funds are a direct result of the advocacy and stewardship of our legislative delegation and city leadership,” said Dawn Casavant, Vice President of External Affairs at Heywood Healthcare. “We are deeply grateful for their partnership and look forward to the completion of the new surgical pavilion designed to improve timely access to local, high quality surgical care.”

The Heywood Hospital Surgical Pavilion Expansion Project was first proposed in 2016, and ARPA funding helped construction begin in May with the completion of the project scheduled for April 2024. The expansion to the hospital will include a new 22,000 square foot surgical pavilion with 6 new operating rooms, 2 minor procedure rooms, 2 endoscopy rooms, a post-anesthesia care unit, patient preparation and recovery area, and staff support space. This renovation provides the hospital with new operating rooms for the first time since 1960.

“We recognize the importance of having these important medical services locally, and the importance of having appropriate and modern facilities for that care. We're happy to have been able to work with Congresswoman Trahan to make this meaningful investment in what is not only our primary healthcare facility, but also a major economic driver for the region,” said Representative Zlotnik, speaking for the state delegation. “Senator Gobi, Rep Whipps and I appreciate the Federal-State-Local collaboration that took place here to make this possible.” 

The City of Gardner under Mayor Nicholson’s leadership is contributing $300,000 of its ARPA allocation for the project, and Representatives Zlotnik and Whipps secured an additional $200,000 for the Heywood project through the State Legislature’s ARPA package.

Congresswoman Trahan supported passage of the American Rescue Plan in March of 2021. The $500,000 headed to the Heywood Hospital is a small portion of the estimated $4.5 billion making its way to the Commonwealth and the estimated $3.4 billion to local governments in Massachusetts through the American Rescue Plan.

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