Construction of a new home for the Owen Sound Family Health Team has been delayed.
Lead physician Doctor Cam Tweedie tells Bayshore Broadcasting News a geo-tech study of the site was late getting underway and they won’t put a shovel in the ground until May 1st.
They had hoped to get construction underway this month, but Doctor Tweedie says that target had to be pushed back.
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.
The goal was to be moved in by Christmas, but because of the later construction start, they now are shooting for an opening in late winter or early spring of next year.
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.
An estimated 10 thousand Owen Sound area residents do not have a family doctor.