FERGUS – While the long-term fate of a historic farmhouse is not known, for the short term it will be used to house resident and locum doctors working at Groves Memorial Community Hospital.
Centre Wellington council agreed on April 24 to allow the house at 965 Gartshore St. in Fergus, recently purchased by the municipality for a new operations centre, to be used for this purpose until construction on the operations centre begins.
It’s a temporary solution to a pressing problem for Groves – and therefore for the whole community – as the hospital strives to attract healthcare professionals to the growing community.
“Accommodation is our most pressing issue,” said Angela Stanley, president and CEO of the Wellington Health Care Alliance, which includes Groves hospital.
“We have increased the number of locums over the past 18 months, and we’ve increased the number of interns and residents coming through.
“Supportive housing is necessary for us to do that.”
Stanley has previously spoken to council about the challenges of attracting doctors and other medical professionals to the area.
In February council approved a resolution for township staff to work with Groves on a recruitment strategy.
CAO Dan Wilson said a committee has been formed that includes the township and hospital as well as Wellington County and the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
The group has identified five priorities: accommodation, office space, other incentives, marketing/tourism/communication, and funding – but chief among them is accommodation.
The house is in “excellent” condition according to Wilson’s report, but unfurnished.
The working group will now reach out to businesses for furniture and appliances and anticipates having the house ready to occupy some time in May.
Hospital staff will work out an online booking system, and the hospital and township will work together on a cleaning and maintenance schedule.
The township is currently paying minor utility costs and insurance on the house. Those costs are expected to increase once the house is occupied.
The township will absorb cleaning costs (between guests) and it anticipates some legal costs to formalize the arrangement.
“The ongoing costs … will be tracked by the township as they are incurred and reported to council,” Wilson stated in his report.
“With anticipated community partner assistance, the impact to the township is not expected to be significant.”
The operations centre is in the design phase.
Construction is not expected to begin for another year or two.
