By Mark Squibb
Mount Pearl City council this week approved the construction of a new clinic at the intersection of Blackmarsh Road and Topsail Road.
Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley explained the City was in receipt of an application from Morgan Enterprises Ltd., to subdivide the parcel of land at 835 Blackmarsh Road, which sits at the intersection of Topsail Road and Blackmarsh Road, and construct a two-story building. The main floor will accommodate an urgent care clinic, while the second floor will be leased out.
A discretionary use notice was published, and a public briefing session held in May, following which the planning committee recommended approval of the construction of the care centre.
Councillor Mark Rice was the first to speak to the motion.
“It’s certainly important to have something like this in our city,” said Rice. “Not having to travel a long distance for an urgent care facility is very important to the residents of this city, so I certainly support this 100 precent, and I’m glad that the provincial government and the NL Services has decided to use the City of Mount Pearl as a space to put one of their urgent care facilities.”
Councillor Bill Antle also threw his support behind the motion and praised the proposed centre’s location.
“I think this is a great thing to have in the City of Mount Pearl, and I think it will be accessible, as it’s right here on Topsail Road and Blackmarsh Road,” said Antle. “It’s going to help our residents and make Mount Pearl even more appealing. It’s a good news story all around.”
Councillor Jim Locke, who attended the meeting via teleconference, said the centre will certainly play a role in attracting new residents to the city.
“I commend government and healthcare services for bringing urgent care services from the city centre itself, St. John’s, into the broader Avalon region,” said Locke. “It can only lead to more efficient and better health care for all the people in the region, and certainly for our residents in Mount Pearl.”
Council expects the clinic will be open within a year.
No further details on what services will be provided at the new clinic were specified during the meeting.
The Morgan group has built and leases out facilities to Eastern Health on Major’s Path in St. John’s and in Holyrood.
