The Owen Sound Family Health Team hopes to have a new home in a little more than a year.
Lead physician Doctor Cam Tweedie told Owen Sound city council Monday night that the Family Health Team intends to occupy a brand new facility that will be built on the west side of the harbour, north of the Marine and Rail Museum.
Doctor Tweedie says its hoped construction can begin next March.
The goal is to be moved in by Christmas 2010.
The Family Health Team has been in operation in Owen Sound since April 2007, but is currently based in four different office buildings — the Professional Centre on 3rd Avenue East, the Greystone building on 8th Street East, the Medical Arts Building on Alpha Street and the Eastview building on 15th Street A East.
The new, consolidated home will provide space for the teams 18 physicians, as well as a number of other health professionals such as nurses, nurse practitioners, dietitians, child and youth social workers and a pharmacist.
The hope is to attract other professionals like medical technicians and physiotherapists.
There will also be ample room for new professionals who are recruited to work in Owen Sound in the future.
Doctor Tweedie and Carolyn Grace, the teams executive director, say the central location is ideal because its accessible by vehicle, public transit and by foot.
Owen Sound Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners says not only is it great for health care in the community itll be the first significant private waterfront development in the city since the construction of the Inn on the Bay.
An estimated 10 thousand Owen Sound area residents do not have a family doctor.