Journal Staff
City council unanimously cleared the way last week for a major expansion of a London Road medical clinic.
Doctors John O’Mahony and Sean Peterson plan to expand the existing medical clinic at 481 London Rd. by adding a two-storey addition and with 8,600 square feet of new space.
They hope to address a looming shortage of family physicians in Sarnia by providing a family medical centre attractive to new practitioners.
With a rezoning and Official Plan amendment now approved, two homes to the east on London Road will be razed in coming weeks and work begun on an expanding parking lot for up to 126 vehicles.
What Sarnia needs right now is a modern, well-equipped facility to attract doctors trained and graduating from Ontario universities, said Coun. Cindy Scholten.
“Here we have some local residents, local investors, local health-care talent willing to invest their own money to create that modern facility,” said Scholten, who once worked for the Sarnia-Lambton Physician Recruitment Taskforce
“Younger graduates want to be in that environment where it’s like a group health setting.”
Three family doctors intend to retire next year and another 10 over the next five years, leaving a potential 25,000 local residents without a family doctor.
The expanded Bluewater Family Medicine Centre has the support of the Rapids Family Health Team, MPP Bob Bailey and the Physician Recruitment Taskforce.
Construction is expected to take about 14 months.