East Ferris breaks ground on new medical centre

A new medical building is under construction at 649 Astorville Road, at the corners of Astorville, Big Moose, and Corbeil Roads—the former site of the Lucky 13.

The 5,335 square foot center, designed by Brian Bertrand of Bertrand Wheeler Architecture, will be the new home to Dr. John Seguin’s Doc on the Lake Clinic, and house other offices as well.

“With time the medical centre will see the addition of new health services and practitioners,” explained Mayor Pauline Rochefort, as the clinic can accommodate four physicians.

Currently, the goal is to “house two physicians and partner with the Powassan and Area Family Health team and other providers for allied health services.”

“I am honoured to be part of the new clinic,” enthused Dr. Seguin, who has been advocating for a project of this type for ten years.

 “It has been a priority of mine to work with the municipality to see a medical clinic built in our community.”

“This facility will enable East Ferris to attract and retain physicians as well as other medical and well-being professionals.”

Mayor Rochefort, Dr. Seguin, chief administrative officer Jason Trottier, members of municipal council and other dignitaries were on hand for the historic occasion. Shovels in hand, they broke ground on the building, which is expected to be open by March 2022.

Mayor Rochefort thanked all involved in bringing the project to fruition, emphasising her gratitude to “our citizens for expressing the need for a medical centre and for additional medical services in East Ferris.”

“I’m also very proud of our council,” Mayor Rochefort said, “because they listened to the citizens and responded.”

She admitted “this is not an easy project for a municipality to undertake,”—especially when the municipality is funding the three-million-dollar project themselves.

“East Ferris is a growing community,” Mayor Rochefort said, and Doc on the Lake is operating at capacity, “and for many years now we have heard from our citizens that they would like to see additional medical services.”

“And so today we are delighted to announce the new Centre Médical—East Ferris.”

See: East Ferris seeking businesses interested in leasing space in proposed medical centre

David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.