GUELPH – Guelph’s COVID-19 assessment centre is moving from the Victoria Road Recreation Centre to 400 Southgate Drive, and will remain there until the pandemic ends, officials say.
The move was announced on Aug. 31 in a joint press release from Guelph General Hospital, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, and the Guelph Family Health Team.
The Victoria Road centre will close on Sept. 10 and the assessment centre will reopen on Southgate Drive Sept. 11.
The new location is on a bus route and close to the Hanlon Expressway and Laird Road in the city’s south end.
With more businesses and services allowed to reopen under the province’s stage three guidelines, the rec centre is needed for recreation and fitness purposes, the release states.
The first assessment centre in Guelph was located beside Guelph General on Delhi Street.
“When the pandemic began there were so many unknowns,” stated Ross Kirkconnell, executive director of the Guelph Family Health Team and one of the establishing partners of the assessment centre.
“It was clear at the beginning there was an immediate need and we were fortunate a building near the hospital was available.”
The Delhi Street location did present some accessibility and parking challenges so the centre moved to the Victoria Road Rec Centre on April 6, thanks to an offer from the City of Guelph.
“We knew when the province went into phase three the Victoria Rec Centre would need to go back to its original purpose. The challenge was finding a new location,” says Gavin Webb, Guelph General’s VP of finance and chief information officer.
Danby Products had available space and offered it for the centre.
“The assessment centre in Guelph has played a key role in responding to the pandemic in our community,” stated Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health.
“We thank our partners for their continuing work to protect our community from the virus.”
The COVID-19 assessment centre in Mount Forest moved on Aug. 31 to the old Groves hospital in Fergus.
The third assessment centre in the region is located in Orangeville at 140 Rolling Hills Drive.
