There was a high-tech flourish Monday to mark the end to construction at Vernon Jubilee's new, $180-million patient care tower. In a ceremony in front of the seven-storey structure, project manager Dave Corcoran of Graham Design Builders handed over a giant security swipe card to officials from Interior Health. The building opens to patients in September. It includes an emergency department four times the size of the old one and a new floor for maternity and pediatric pattients. While those attending the ceremony avoided discussion of the ongoing and chronic patient overcrowding problem, NDP Leader Adrian Dix showed up in Vernon to make sure it was not forgotten. ``What's happened here in Vernon is the unacceptable bad day has become every day and that's what we've got to change,'' said Dix. ``That means addressing the acute care bed issue.'' Dix also called for better community care to end the pressure on BC hospitals. The opposition leader acknowledged the multi-million dollar price tag to open the two empty floors in the tower for new beds. But he pointed to a $100-million tax cut given to the banks. Dix said they should be paying a ``minimum'' fair share to ensure basic services can be funded.
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