MINTO – Town council has officially approved an agreement with North Wellington Health Care for use of the old train station in Harriston as a COVID-19 assessment centre.
The agreement was approved at the Oct. 6 meeting, which was held via teleconference.
Director of community services Matthew Lubbers reported that the centre had opened earlier that day.
A COVID-19 assessment centre was set-up at the Mount Forest Sportsplex until September.
That site has since closed and the nearest assessment centre in Wellington County was in Fergus.
“They wanted to look at having one in the northern Wellington area, so the Harriston Train Station looked like a viable option,” Lubbers told council.
This space is currently being used sparingly due to COVID-19 restrictions, including indoor gathering limits.
Any current and future rentals that need to be accommodated can be relocated to another town-run facility, Lubbers explained in his report.
“For the most part there has been nothing going on,” said Lubbers. “I’d say 90 per cent of the activities there have been cancelled.
“There were a couple of groups who under the right protocols could have used it, but we’ve relocated them.”
Although the centre only operates on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Lubbers said no other use of the facility will be permitted.
“More just so they can keep it setup as it is, for sanitation and overall cleanliness,” he explained.
Councillor Mark MacKenzie asked if the town would receive any revenue from the facility.
Lubbers said NWHC would be paying $200 a week.
“We’re not trying to make money off this or get rich or anything,” he added.
“It’s more just to cover the operating expense that we will still incur at that facility.”
Council approved Lubbers’ report and later in the meeting passed a bylaw authorizing the agreement.
