The Sun Peaks Health Centre recently received bolstered support from the Ministry of Health in the form of a $100,000 grant. The grant will be instrumental in assisting the Mountain Resort Municipality in outfitting the new community health centre with essential medical equipment, supplies and furniture.
In addition to the $100,000 boost, the Ministry of Health provided $50,000 for the completion of a business plan back in May of 2014.
Health Minister Terry Lake was in the resort July 29, to express his excitement for ground-breaking event, “The Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality, Sun Peaks Health Association and the community have been working hard at making their vision of expanded health services for families, residents and tourists a reality,” Lake said. “In 2014, we supported their work towards a plan for the new centre, and now this funding will help them outfit the centre with high-quality medical equipment, needed supplies and furniture, making the new centre a place that will support the health of Sun Peaks residents and visitors for years to come.”
In 2002, the Sun Peaks Health Association erected a small temporary health centre to fulfill the needs of the growing community. Over the past 14 years, the Sun Peaks Health Association has raised $800,000 to support health services in Sun Peaks and will donate an additional $500,000 towards the capital costs of the new health centre.
Located on the lower floor of a two-storey building, the new facility will boast a 930 square metre (10,000 sq. ft.) floorplan. The layout will include a doctor’s office, examination rooms, a triage area, as well as other health services.
Another major element of the health centre will include family doctor services for the communities of Sun Peaks, Whitecroft and the Upper Louis Creek Valley. The upper floor will also house the Sun Peaks ski patrol staff and will be paid for by the Sun Peaks Resort LLP.
“We hope to make our health centre one of the best-equipped small community clinics among mountain resorts in British Columbia,” said Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality Mayor Al Raine. “We are focused on tele-medicine equipment that will make it easy for patients to be diagnosed by specialists in major centres while remaining in Sun Peaks.”
The community and Resort Municipality as a whole, has committed to continuing the fundraising efforts this summer in hopes of reaching the goal of $400,000 to supplement the province’s contributions.
The funds will serve to furnish the building with modern equipment and supplies to meet a range of services and a high standard of care.
The new facility is slated to open its doors in early 2017.