MLA Ron Cantelon spoke to about 35 people at a French Creek Resident’s association meeting Wednesday night about the recent confirmation that a health centre will be built beside Trillium Lodge in Parksville by the Lark Group.
Cantelon was invited by the association, which has been an active part of the regional Federation of Oceanside Resident’s Associations which came together to lobby for the centre.
“This will be much more than just a health clinic,” he said, talking about the medical labs, X-rays, ultra sound, family doctors and wide range of ongoing health and wellness programs they hope to attract to the facility.
“It has been a long time coming,” he said adding he hopes a lot of the loose ends and final legal steps will be made at the March 30 Vancouver Island Health Authority board meeting in Qualicum Beach and that construction could start soon after that.
The VIHA board meetings are held every two months and rotate around the Island.
The next is scheduled for the Parksville Community and Conference Centre, March 30.
The last meeting in Oceanside was July 2008 in Qualicum Beach. Watch The News and the VIHA website (www.viha.ca) for the time.