Toronto Western Hospital

Story

The Toronto Western Hospital is a major research and teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the University Health Network . It has 256 beds, with 46,000 visits to its emergency department annually. It is known for neurosurgery and was one of the first centres in Canada to use the gamma knife. It is also home to the Donald K. Johnson Eye Centre.HistoryIn 1895, doctors serving what was then the west end of Toronto united in hopes of building a full hospital facility to serve this overlooked locale. Twelve doctors signed a pledge to fulfill their vision and soon after, the Toronto Western Hospital was born.The Toronto Western Hospital opened first as a public dispensary, followed by a 30-bed hospital operating out of two rented houses on Manning Avenue. With the support of several influential citizens, enough money was raised by 1899 to acquire a nearby farmhouse property and to build the Western on its present site at the corner of Bathurst and Dundas Streets. During construction, patients were treated under large tents until the hospital opened year-round in 1905.Like the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital saw several renovations over the years and today occupies a full city block.