A $2 million-plus health facility slated to be built on the Nanoose First Nation (Snaw’Naw’As) reserve in upper Lantzville could start breaking ground as early as November.
The project has been in the works for about 10 years, said Chief David Bob, and is much needed in the community.
“It is needed,” he said, “we have community members who live down here who don’t access the public health services offered by VIHA (the Vancouver Island Health Authority).”
Bob explained it’s been years since some elders have been to the doctor because of how they’ve been treated in the past. One in particular ended up loosing her leg to diabetes, he said.
“If she had been going to a doctor on a regular basis they would have helped her correct that,” he said, adding, “She didn’t like the way she was treated at one clinic and she refused to go to any doctors’ offices again.”
The band will pay for the bottom portion of the two-story, 4,000 square foot facility, and Health Canada will take care of the rest, Bob said.
The new facility will see an alcohol and drug abuse councillor, community health nurse, community health representatives, an occupational therapist and an office for mental health care workers, Bob explained.
The band will also be negotiating to get dentists and doctors into the facility, he said, with the ultimate goal of having an overall healthier community.
Bob said tendering will happen in mid September and he hopes to break ground in November.
Currently there are more than 210 members living on the Nanoose First Nation reserve and about 60 off the reserve.
For more information visit www.nanoose.org.
