A tight squeeze on funds has put completion of the full project on hold for probably five years.

Sunraysia Community Health Services chief executive Craig Stanbridge said the first stage of the new $5.7 million health centre in Deakin Avenue was on schedule for completion in April next year.

However, Mr Stanbridge said after this stage of the centre was built, the project would still only be a third complete.

“We haven’t got good facilities but we provide good services, so what it will do is complement that and give staff, clients and the community a boost in morale,” he said.

“It is State Government funded but $200,000 of that was our own money,” he said.

“That was just a little gesture to entice them (the government) to give us another $2 million as we initially only got $3.7 million, which would have been just one side of the dental facility. So we had to lobby ministers to get the extra $2 million, but the $200,000 sort of got it across the line.”

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Monday’s Sunraysia Daily 21/09/2009.