A major expansion in St. Marys will break ground next week.
On May 23, the Traditional Mutual Centre for Wellness in St Marys will celebrate the beginning of a $2.9-million expansion, that will see a nearly 7,500 sq ft facility added to the site.
Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance CEO Andrew Williams says the expansion will create more space for the Happy Valley Family Health Team and that's very exciting.
"The expansion is going to grow our capacity to recruit physicians, it's going to expand our ability to train healthcare professionals with universities and colleges, and it's really going to add to the local fabric of our primary care system, so we're really excited about it," he says.
The expansion will feature a teaching space for medical residents, and Williams says that space is very important.
"When we look at the future of healthcare, making sure that we have physicians and other healthcare professionals graduating who understand rural practice is key," he says. "So one of the focuses will be ensuring that we introduce students early in their education to the robust and dynamic practices that are available in communities like St. Marys."
With other communities in the Healthcare Alliance thriving in terms of great local care, and the focus on expanding services, Williams says expanding in St. Marys just made sense.
"The building itself has been in place for 15 years," he says. "It was initially built to consolidate primary care in the community, and we saw it as a great opportunity to continue to build on the strengths that the building has brought to St. Marys."
The expansion will also include two additional spaces that will be available to lease. Williams says construction should take roughly a year.