While celebrating 20 years since Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre was founded, current and former staff and patients reflected on an 80-year legacy of caring for Niagara residents.

They also looked forward to a bright future for the old escarpment hospital, with long-awaited expansion plans at last moving forward.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Josefchak became a staffer at Hotel Dieu Hospital in 1988 — long before the old full-service building on Ontario Street in St. Catharines, founded in 1945, was demolished.

As a result of a hospital restructuring, Hotel Dieu merged with Shaver Hospital and Niagara Rehab Centre on Aug. 8, 2005, on Glenridge Avenue.

During an event Friday to celebrate the two-decade milestone, Josefchak said he has seen many changes.

But through i

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