A couple of years after it first opened a state of the art health centre, the council has announced that the underpass to the Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre will finally be developed to allow safe access for all. The link lies between the health centre run jointly by NHS Lothian and The City of Edinburgh Council and the car park at Westside Shopping Plaza.
The underpass should be ready by Summer 2015 to provide a direct route for anyone with limited mobility.
John Aitchison, Chairperson of the Wester Hailes Community Council said: “It was great that many other local projects supported our campaign with articles in the Prospect community housing social history blog and some local residents even producing a song and video. After all this it didn’t really take long for Wester Hailes councillors to come onside and the new link will be now be a fully accessible route for people using the Healthy Living Centre rather than the barrier than it might otherwise have been.”
Here is the song created to highlight the importance of the underpass to the local community:
A total of £800,000 is being spent by The City of Edinburgh Council on the underpass, which is being built by Morrison Construction in three phases – the second phase is underway and involves work on power cables. The third and final phase will start this Spring-time and will focus on the construction of the actual tunnel.
Councillor Ricky Henderson, Health, Social Care and Housing Convener, said: “This fantastic facility is a real benefit to local residents as it’s a one-stop shop for their health needs. As well as being home to key Council social care teams, it is also a centre point for the local community and gives service providers the ability to deliver quality, integrated services to those who need them.
“The new underpass will be well lit, have a clear line of sight from one end to the other and accessible by a sloping ramp. It will provide a safe, quick access for patients, particularly those with mobility issues, who face a longer detour at the moment.”
The centre provides new accommodation for the Wester Hailes Medical Practice and community health and social care services, including physiotherapy, dentistry, podiatry, speech and language therapy, midwifery, paediatrics, mental health and learning disabilities and a wide range of social work services.
It also accommodates the Wester Hailes Health Agency, which offers counselling, massage and relaxation, as well as group activities such as walking groups and exercise classes.
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