Plans are in the works for a new urgent care centre to be located at a very symbolic spot in Windsor - the old Grace Hospital site.
The location at Crawford and University will become an urgent care centre as part of the overall plan for the new mega hospital for Windsor and Essex County.
Today the vacant grassy lot sits waiting for a new purpose. Windsor Regional Hospital David Musyj believes he has found one.
“It’s like a walk-in clinic on steroids,” says Musyj.
He says their concept is more than a walk-in clinic. He says the lot is perfect because the timing of the opening is critical.
“We need this urgent care center up and running the same day, if not before, the new single site acute care hospital is open,” says Musyj.
If approved by the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, the urgent care centre will see this part of Windsor return to its roots.
Grace Hospital opened in 1923, but after 80 years, a decision was made to close the aging building.
It shut its doors in December of 2003. For years the building sat vacant and over time fell victim to vandalism and trespassing and soon became one of the worst examples of urban blight the city of Windsor has ever seen.
The city took over ownership in November of 2012 and demolished the property by the end of the summer in 2013.
The new plan includes the city is doing a land swap – the old Grace Hopsital site in exchange for Windsor Regional Hospital’s Met Campus.
More details of the new plans are set to be revealed at an announcement on Thursday, when officials will also unveil the site for the new acute care facility on County Road 42 and Concession 9.
