Province and feds contributing more than $500K to expand health centre in Tignish

The provincial and federal governments arespending $555,000 to expand the Co-op Health Centre in Tignish, P.E.I.

The project involves the expansion of the health centre to include community and recreational space. The new area willprovide programs and services for seniors, new mothersand youth, a release from government officials said.

Wendy Arsenault, manager of the Tignish Health Co-operative, said the expansion will serve as a community outreach centre.

She said the community has "a lot of seniors and a lot of seniors are staying in their homes."

"We want them to be able to get out and have some place to go and maybe have card parties and get together."

'Want that support system'

The federal government is spending $303,000 on the expansion and the province is contributing$252,000.

The Tignish Health Co-operative is also putting in more than $200,000.

She said the expansionis going to be a multipurpose building and will also have activities for young people and new mothers.

"Sometimes you want that support system, you want to talk to other mothers," she said.

"They can get together and have play dates."

Arsenault said she plans to get tenders for the work issued soon, and hopes the construction will be done by the end of the summer.

Arsenault said adding the outreach portion ofthe health centre has been thought about for a while.

"We have the rink we have our village office and stuff but there is not really a community community centre," she said.

"Now we'll have one."

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