At its extraordinary meeting this week, the Waimakariri District Council confirmed its commitment to investing in the North Canterbury after-hours medical facility.
Construction is officially set to get underway, with signage, fencing, and sod-turning expected in the coming weeks. All going to plan, the project will take 14 months to complete from start to finish.
The Council voted in favour of proceeding with an investment of up to $3.5 million after completing a thorough due diligence process.
Independent advice from PwC and lawyers confirmed the feasibility and strength of the investment. As part of the agreement, Waimakariri District Council will have representation on the North Canterbury Medical Centre project group.
Earlier today, South Link Health extended a formal invitation for two elected members to join the group, with Mayor Dan Gordon and Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson taking up the positions, ensuring ongoing collaboration and oversight.
Mayor Gordon emphasised the importance of this milestone decision for the community.
“This is an essential step forward for healthcare in North Canterbury. Our communities have long been waiting for access to urgent and after-hours healthcare, and now we can ensure it will happen.
Mayor Gordon says this has been a team effort from a number of people over the years.
“I would like to acknowledge Dr Lorna Martin for her dedication to this project over many years. Although she has retired and is no longer directly involved, her unwavering support has been invaluable in helping us reach this point. I would also like to recognise Murray Tilyard’s personal commitment to this initiative. His passion and perseverance have been pivotal in bringing this project to fruition.”
Chair of South Link Education Trust and Chief Clinical Advisor, Murray Tilyard shared his sentiment.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Council on this vital initiative. North Canterbury urgently needs robust, seven-day-a-week extended primary health care services, and we are committed to delivering them.”
The South Link Education Trust will fund 50 per cent of the facility’s construction, taking out a bank loan and the council’s loan will fund the remaining 50 percent of the build cost. The South Link Education Trust will meet the principal and interest payments on the loans and no costs will be incurred by ratepayers.
The South Link Education Trust will also meet all costs associated with due diligence.
Once completed, the new Medical Centre will include:
- Seven-day-a week urgent after-hours healthcare
- General practice services
- Radiology services
- An onsite pharmacy
Located next to Rangiora Hospital and Health Hub, the modern facility is set to transform healthcare access across the district.
Chief Executive of South Link Health Karl Andrews said with today’s decision, the project is now officially moving forward.
“We are ready to deliver this vital facility for the community. After facing several challenges including Covid 19 delays, rising construction costs and commercial investment challenges, progress will soon be visible, and our team is fully committed to seeing it through to completion for the benefit of the Waimakariri District and the wider North Canterbury region. We are grateful to the council for its commitment to partnering with us on this.”