LONG PRAIRIE-CentraCare Health-Long Prairie will receive $700,000 from the Minnesota Legislature to be used toward a Regional Community Well-Being Center after Gov. Mark Dayton signed the Omnibus Bonding Bill, which totaled $1.5 billion in projects across the state.
Local lawmakers Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, and Sen. Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, authored the original bills in the House and Senate, respectively.
"We are grateful to Gov. Dayton, Majority Leader Gazelka and Rep. Kresha for supporting this investment in rural Minnesota. This investment will positively impact the health and well-being of many local families living in the region," said CentraCare Director of Government and Community Relations Dave Borgert in a news release.
Construction is planned to begin this summer with an anticipated opening in the spring of 2019 for this innovative 12,000-square-foot Regional Community Well-Being Center, located adjacent to the new hospital and clinic in Long Prairie. The center is being funded by both public and private partnerships. To date, more than $1.8 million has been committed to the Wellness Wins Capital Campaign from CentraCare Health employees, individuals, foundations and grants. CentraCare Health is committed to investing $1.3 million. This most recent investment of $700,000 in state funds brings the total commitment to more than $3.8 million toward the initial construction goal of $4.5 million.
