Canajoharie celebrates new health center
By KERRY McAVOY, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
CANAJOHARIE - St. Mary's Hospital unveiled its new $1.8 million Family Health Center building in the village during a ribbon-cutting and blessing ceremony Wednesday afternoon.
More than 50 staff members and village residents attended the event under a white tent in the parking lot. A building tour and refreshments followed the ceremony.
The 7,500-square-foot facility, located at 48 Erie Blvd. next to the Arkell Museum, will include primary care, laboratory and medical imaging services. The new facility actually opened June 19 and replaced a 4,800-square-foot West Main Street building that housed the center for more than 20 years.
The new facility, which is expected to have about 15,000 patients a year, will employ 16 people, including physicians, nurses and technicians.
Hospital officials said this morning the old building was sold to Liberty Enterprises.
The new facility, built on a small hill to keep it out of the flood plain, is on the site of the former Canajoharie High School. The Arkell Hall Foundation acquired the land in 2002 after the Canajoharie High School was moved to its new location on the southern part of the village.
The Arkell Hall Foundation built both the Arkell Museum and now the St. Mary's Hospital Family Health Center there.
Arkell Hall Foundation Executive Director Joe Santangelo said the Foundation acquired the 5 acres of land in 2002. The first project was the creation of the Arkell Museum that opened in 2007.
The Albany-based Sano-Rubin Construction Service designed and built both the Arkell Museum and St. Mary's Hospital Family Health Center.
Victor Giulianelli, president and chief executive officer of St. Mary's Hospital, said the center will provide a caring atmosphere for patients and distinctive services for the area.
"I believe health care is a necessary right to human dignity," Giulianelli said .
The project was put on hold for some time because of the flood of 2006, which did a great deal of damage to the entire area.
Bishop Howard Hubbard of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany expressed relief the project was able to be finished. Hubbard performed a blessing ceremony on the building, including the sprinkling of holy water on the entrance to the site.
"Two years ago, this village was ravaged by flood waters," Hubbard said. "The immediate concern was safety, shelter and food for those affected."
Hubbard said the long-term concern was whether people would stay in the area, or if they would pack up and move. He said many people had such a love for the community, they stayed and rebuilt.
The health center project received a $250,000 grant from state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna. About $440,000 in contributions also were received by the Arkell Hall Foundation, Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and Fidelis Care.
Farley could not attend the event because it was his 50th wedding anniversary. He sent a statement to the event saying the new health center is a true asset to the entire western part of Montgomery County.
St. Mary's Hospital Board of Directors Chairman Mohammed R. Ghazi said the new center's mission is to provide care and compassion to those who are served.
"Although this is only one day in the long history of St. Mary's, this day is one of renewal and promise," Ghazi said.
Giulianelli said the village has been a long-time partner with St. Mary's. He said the village worked with them on the project from the beginning and was a strong partner in getting the center open.
Mayor Leigh Fuller spoke at the event and praised St. Mary's for keeping him going. Fuller said he has suffered two strokes and two heart attacks and was saved by the staff at St. Mary's.
"I'm still here," he said.
Kerry McAvoy covers Montgomery County. She can be reached at montco@leaderherald.com.
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ToxicAvngr
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07-03-08 4:03 PM
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The health center project received a $250,000 grant from state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna. About $440,000 in contributions also were received by the Arkell Hall Foundation, Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and Fidelis Care. Where is the "contribution" from Ascension Health, which owns St. Mary's? After all,this benevolent "non-profit" raked in over $1.2B in profits in 2007. That's 1.2 billion dollars, with a "B". Shouldn't they have chipped in, instead of adding more pork to our tax bills?
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michael13339
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07-03-08 1:36 PM
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Another fine example of Arkell Hall putting money to waste again.Healthcare is at an all time high,I am sure they don't need arkell hall.Why not use that money to do something with Beech Nut when it becomes empty.
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