Councillors in Strathcona County are venting their frustration after an update from Alberta Health Services on a long-awaited hospital wasn't what they expected.

Plans to build a full-service, 88-bed facility were announced five years ago and the sod-turning ceremony took place three years ago.

But on Friday, government officials announced a new phased-in approach for the 57-million dollar project that will see 24-hour emergency care service, diagnostic imagining laboratories and a pharmacy open to the public by 2013. No beds or surgical suites are planned until the second stage of construction, which hasn't been given a firm timeline.

"They promised us out here that we are getting a hospital, which we are not getting. We are going to get a glorified medi-centre," said Councillor Vic Bidzinski, who is working with other local politicians to circulate a petition demanding the full hospital be built in one fell swoop.

"They keep telling us you're going to get phase two - nobody has any plans, nobody has any number… we've had this put off a number of times," he said.

Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky says the government is being forced to modify some of its previously-announced construction initiatives because the province is still recovering from the economic downturn.

"We've had to slow down projects, phase in others and just delay a few as well," he said.

He argues the change to the Sherwood Park facility is a reasonable compromise and says he believes plans for phase two will materialize in the next few years.

"It is fair because that's what the project is - it's a hospital and it's a community health centre all in one."

Given the lengthy delay in getting shovels in the ground so far, Sherwood Park's Mayor says she's doubtful the project will stay on the radar.

"I mean it was totally lost from 2007 to now," said Cathy Olesen.

"We were wondering if it was even going to happen."

With Files from Kevin Armstrong