Wingham Homecoming will be in full swing this weekend, but the local hospital's emergency department will not.
The Listowel Wingham Hospital Alliance said it would be forced to temporarily close the emergency department on Saturday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. due to staffing shortages.
Emergent care will resume that evening after 7.
Ambulances will bypass the hospital during the closure and travel to the nearest available emergency department.
The closest ERs to Wingham include: Listowel, Goderich, Palmerston, Seaforth, Kincardine, Walkerton, and Clinton, which operates on reduced hours.
Hospital administration said the closure was a last resort, and that they regret having to take that step.
This is the first ED closure at the hospital in over a month.
