February 25, 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of Trenton Memorial Hospital (TMH) — a milestone in local healthcare that reflects three-quarters of a century of community care, connection, and partnership.
Originally opened on February 25, 1951, TMH was established as a hospital to serve the healthcare needs of Trenton and surrounding communities and was dedicated as a memorial to the town’s war dead.
The vision for the hospital began in the early 1940s when local Lions and Rotary clubs joined forces to make the dream of a community hospital a reality.
From sod-turning in 1946 to the official opening in 1951, TMH has remained rooted in community support and shared purpose.
What began as a vision shared by community leaders and service clubs in the 1940s has become a hospital that today delivers tens of thousands of patient encounters every year.
In 2024 alone, TMH recorded nearly 1,000 inpatient admissions, more than 33,000 Emergency Department visits, over 54,000 ambulatory visits, and more than 46,000 diagnostic procedures, reflecting both the growing needs of the community and the expanding scope of care provided close to home.
“Seventy-five years is more than a milestone. It is a story of people caring for people,” said Stacey Daub, President and CEO of Quinte Health. “TMH was built by its community, and it continues to be shaped by the dedication of the staff, physicians, volunteers, donors, and partners who believe deeply in the importance of strong local healthcare.”
That commitment is evident in how TMH continues to meet rising demand. Emergency visits and ambulatory visits
have increased steadily over the past decade, highlighting both population growth and the hospital’s expanding
role in outpatient care.
“Behind every one of those numbers is a person, a family, and a moment when care truly matters,” said Lindsay Butcher Dodds, Executive Director of the TMH Foundation. “Our community’s generosity and advocacy over the past 75 years have helped ensure that Trenton Memorial Hospital remains strong, responsive, and ready for what comes next.”
Volunteers have played a central role in that journey from the beginning, and they continue to do so today. “The TMH Auxiliary is proud to be part of this legacy,” said Pat Lafferty, President, TMH Auxiliary. “For generations, volunteers have supported patients, families, and staff, and helped shape the culture of care that defines this hospital.”
As Trenton Memorial Hospital celebrates 75 years of service, the focus remains firmly on the future: continuing to strengthen local healthcare through collaboration, innovation, and community partnership, just as it has done since its earliest days.
In 1943, the local branch of the Lions Club initiated the idea of building a community hospital in Trenton and joined forces with the local Rotary Club to jointly purchase nine acres of pasture land for $1,000. The total cost of the hospital project was estimated at $275,000.
The first Board of Directors was formed in 1944, sod-turning on August 29, 1946, first cornerstone was laid on October 15, 1947 and the hospital was completed in 1951, with the Official Opening on February 25th of that year. The hospital was dedicated as a memorial to the town of Trenton’s war dead, hence its name “Trenton Memorial Hospital”.
Several expansions have taken place, in 1961 (two full wings and one partial wing added to the original building), in 1969 (a two-storey addition to the east end of the hospital), 2000 and in 2006. This last extensive redevelopment project virtually doubled the size of the hospital with a 45,000 square foot wing which is modern, bright, climate-controlled, and barrier-free.
The hospital became known as “Quinte Health Care Trenton Memorial” upon the amalgamation of the hospitals in Bancroft, Belleville, Picton, and Trenton in November 1998 under the Healthcare Restructuring Act.
Quinte Health Trenton Memorial Hospital provides primary and some secondary care to patients. It houses 26 beds and a range of clinical and diagnostic services, including:
- Cardiology Clinical Nutrition (Registered Dieticians)
- Diabetes Education & Management
- Emergency Services (24 hours a day, 7 days per week)
- Medical Service
- Acute Care Beds and Complex Continuing Care Beds
- Outpatient Clinics such as: orthopedic, urology, gynecology, ophthalmology, vein, colposcopy, ear nose and throat, and urodynamics.
- Regional Centre for Comprehensive Breast Assessment
- Pharmacy
- Psychiatry/Mental Health Crisis Clinic/Parent Child and Youth
- Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Centre
- Radiology/Diagnostic Services including Bone Mineral Density, Mammogram, CT Scan, X-Ray
- Out Patient Surgical Services including but not limited to: Dental, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic, Urology, Gynecology
- Symptom Management/Palliative Care
