Work has begun on a new building that will contain ophthalmologist Dr. Justin French’s eye clinic in Corner Brook.
And the hotel development originally planned for the same area on Grenfell Drive is still going ahead, according to its proponent.
French has promised to put a big dent in wait times for cataract surgeries in the western Newfoundland region with the new purpose-built facility he is financing on his own.
The eye doctor has purchased three acres of land at 4 Grenfell Dr. and has secured the permits needed to start working on the building.
“It’s exciting times,” said French, whose vision for the stand-alone eye surgery clinic led to an amended memorandum of understanding between the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association and the provincial government.
The changes, which were made earlier this year, were needed in order to establish conditions for which cataract surgeries could be done outside of a hospital setting.
The location of the eye clinic was previously reported on in late 2017 as the site of a hotel to be built by local developer Roger Jones.
The hotel has yet to materialize, but Jones said he still has every intention of building one. The foundation for a 93-room Holiday Inn Express was poured in November 2017 in order for Jones to meet conditions of the development permit issued to him by the City of Corner Brook.
Jones said he has been busy finishing up his Bayview Condominiums project in the Old Humber Road area of Corner Brook’s east side. The condos have been built and he is in the process of selling the last of them.
Once that his done, he will be turning his full attention to the hotel project.
“I will move into that when I’m financially ready to do so,” said Jones, adding he is still looking for financial partners to come on board the hotel project.
Jones will be doing some work at the site this year, now that French’s clinic is under construction. A road is being built into the site and some of the underground infrastructure needed for the overall development will be established. There will also be street lighting installed.
Jones said confirmation a new regional hospital complex will be built just up the road from the hotel site, along with French’s clinic becoming a reality, will spur him to get the hotel started next spring or summer.
“Dr. French doesn’t want to be up there in a gravel pit for too long, I’m sure,” he said.
Besides his eye surgery centre, the plan for French’s building allows for an optometry office, pharmacy, coffee shop and one other commercial retail space on the main floor.
French said he has multiple interested parties for the optometry office, pharmacy and coffee shop spaces, but no formal leases have been signed.
