Officials from the VA Maine Healthcare System participate in a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a new community-based outpatient clinic on Railroad Street in Rumford. From left are: Rene Boucher, project manger; Pamela Sweeney, acting associate director for business operations; Amy Gartley, associate director for patient and nursing services; Tracye B. Davis, medical center director; Todd Stapley, chief of staff; Kim Ware, associate director for facility operations; Tyler Watson, strategic planner/executive assistant to the director; and Rochelle Findlay, service chief for community-based outpatient clinics. Submitted photo
RUMFORD — The VA Maine Healthcare System held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for an outpatient clinic at 5 Railroad St.
“This clinic will provide a more accessible and safer space for our veterans, while improving their experience and bolstering the efficiency of the clinic flow,” VA Maine Medical Center Director Tracye B. Davis said.
Jonathan Barczyk, public affairs specialist with VA Maine Healthcare System, said the 7,200-square-foot facility will replace the clinic at 431 Franklin St.
“The clinic will include primary care, mental health, blood draw and virtual care services,” he said. “Home-based primary care will also be based out of this location.”
He said construction will take about a year.
On Sept. 1, the Planning Board unanimously approved the site plan application for the community-based outpatient clinic. At that meeting, Don Becker, project engineer from Haley Ward Inc., environmental engineers, in Lewiston, said they would like to start in September. He said there is considerable site work needed and some demolition but they hope to have a shell up before winter.
“Of course, it will depend a lot upon weather,” he said.
Code Enforcement Officer Richard Coulombe said the site is around an acre.
Becker said there will be 45 parking spaces.
Traffic will enter from Canal Street and exit on Hartford and Lowell streets. Peak traffic will probably be four to five vehicles per hour, with likely a lot of repeat patients and many of them local, Becker said.
“This approval gives them the opportunity to actually start construction, if there aren’t any problems with DEP, etc.,” Planning Board Board Chairman Kenneth MacFawn said.
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