Christmas Valley to get new clinic

Residents of Christmas Valley are one step closer to receiving a new primary care clinic.

The North Lake Clinic’s board approved a bid of $908,325 from Ausland Builders of Grants Pass for the clinic’s expansion project at a meeting Monday night.

The new facility, which will be 6,538 square feet, will be built on adjoining property at the existing location. The contracts for the project will be sent to Lake County commissioners to sign this week.

The funding and planning for the building have been ongoing since 2003, said Allan Parks, president of the board.

The clinic, which is in a rural area 100 miles southeast of Bend, is the main option for medical services for the 1,500 residents in Christmas Valley. Currently, the clinic uses two modular buildings for primary care services. A separate building is used for physical therapy.

The new building is expected to be completed in the early September, said Carl Shumway, a member of the board.

”The board has worked a long time to accomplish this,” Shumway said. ”We’re one step closer to getting the new facility.”

With the new facility, Shumway said the clinic is looking at adding more services such as dental care and eventually a second primary care provider.

Judy Lynch, secretary for the North Lake Health District, said the other buildings will possibly be used for other services that might be needed in the future.

Lynch said the clinic serves people from the north end of the county from towns such as Fort Rock and Silver Lake because it is the only facility available in the area.

She said the clinic receives about 50 patients a week and the numbers are steadily increasing.

Shumway said providing a permanent building for the clinic has been a goal for many years. He said that goal became stronger in 2000, when area voters approved a tax measure to pay for basic operations at the clinic.

Lynch said the board members are thrilled that they’re closer to expanding the clinic.

”We’ve been waiting for a long time,” she said. ”We’re ready to get the new building.”