The new Belleville Quinte West Community Health Center next to Trenton Memorial Hospital. (Photo: Quinte News) Nine years have passed, but a huge improvement in healthcare is ready for Quinte West and the region. A spacious and modern Belleville Quinte West Community Health Center (BQWCHC) officially opened on Friday afternoon at its new location next to Trenton Memorial Hospital. For the past 15 years, health center staff and patients have processed virtually five trailers in a parking lot in what was called a temporary location in central Trenton. Bay of Quinte riding MPP and Energy Secretary Todd Smith (Photo: Quinte News) The county government provided more than $ 14 million to build the new facility and the Bay of Quinte riding MPP, and Energy Secretary Todd Smith announced some funding bonuses at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The county will provide $ 200,000 to plan and do basic work on the ground floor of the building to make room for other health care providers and services, fulfilling the goal of setting up a “health hub”, a health care stop. Partners planning to move to the new center are Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, Addiction and Mental Health Services, Hastings Prince Edward, VON Adult Day Program, and Southeast Home and Community Care. There will be room for others. Smith said his government has promised major improvements in healthcare and that investments are being made and will continue to be made. “PSW (personal support workers), nurses and other doctors now studying at Loyalist College due to the growing number of people being trained will be working here in this beautiful building.” Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison reads from a plaque presented to BQWCHC CEO Sheila Braidek (right), while others in the photo are members of the Quinte West council. From left to right are David O’Neil, Lesley Roseblade, David McCue and Deputy Mayor Jim Alyea. (Photo: Quinte News) Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison thanked Smith for his government investment, noting not only the new health center but recent and planned improvements to Quinte Health Care hospitals, including the Trenton Memorial. When it comes to healthcare, Harrison said, “We’re winning!” BQWCHC Board Chairman Brad Harrington thanked Quinte West County, Quinte Health Care, for providing land free of charge, center staff, and the organization’s board, past and present. VON’s Lori Cooper was on the board years ago when she first started designing a new community health center. He said, “Ultimately this is the result of a vision that began many years ago. This is a wonderful place. “The vision came true.” BQWCHC Executive Director Sheila Braidek said plans for the new facility had evolved many times since 2013 and now there was room to dream and really achieve the goal of providing uninterrupted healthcare at a location for everyone in the community because of various partners to be involved. “We will have room to imagine. This will be a building full of care and action, with laughter and tears. “This is a place we can celebrate.” Executive Director of the Belleville Quinte West Community Health Center, Sheila Braidek. (Photo: Quinte News)
