Portarlington welcomes updated health centre

HEALTH and Aged Care assistant minster Ged Kearney, political leaders and community members have officially opened Bellarine Community Health’s upgraded Portarlington site.

BCH chief executive officer Garry Ellis said he was pleased to see the redevelopment of 39 Fenwick Street building’s northern wing completed and officially opened last month.

“It’s been a bit of a wait because of the impacts of the pandemic on the building construction, but it’s wonderful to now see clients back on site and our Social Support groups running again,” Mr Ellis said.

“We are exploring further ways we can enhance our service offering for the benefit of the local community and utilising the new space as much as we can for BCH services.”

The redevelopment has allowed BCH to increase the space for the Portarlington Ladies Auxiliary ‘Op Shop’, which plays a valuable role in Portarlington to provide second-hand items to residents.

“I would like to sincerely thank Loaram Constructions who undertook the redevelopment,” Mr Ellis said.

“The team at Loaram have worked closely with us to deliver this project within its allocated budget, and I think the building is a wonderful addition to the Portarlington landscape.”

Ms Kearney attended the opening and said that nobody was more aware of the community’s needs than a community health service.

“I commend Bellarine Community Health’s commitment to supporting their local community, and I’m sure that this new facility will help you to continue to deliver expert clinical care and community health services for many years to come,” she said.

The redevelopment of the north wing of the Portarlington site was funded through the Department of Health’s Community Health and Hospitals Program.