after protracted process, valencia county finally on track to getting a new hospital

It has taken more than a decade and a few lawsuits, but a new hospital may at long last be on the verge of getting built in Valencia County.

Members of the Valencia County Commission have voted unanimously in favor of entering into a contract with the Loveland Health System to get the project off the ground.

Although a site has not yet been selected, the facility is expected to measure anywhere from 12,000 to 20,000 square feet and will house 24/7 care with emergency room space, up to a dozen examination rooms, laboratory services and a pharmacy.

The new hospital will also have a section dedicated to the health care needs of Valencia County Detention Center inmates.

The move towards a new hospital comes more than 12 years after voters in Valencia County approved a mill levy, the revenue of which was supposed to be dedicated to the operation and maintenance of the new facility.

That means that more than $25 million has since been received by the county and put aside for the hospital’s future use.

Next challenge for the project is trying to find a site for its construction. The real estate services company, CBRE, of Albuquerque, has been brought in to help facilitate that process.

But Loveland Health System officials have said that they also plan to hold several community meetings in different parts of Valencia county in the coming weeks in the hope of hearing ideas regarding both the hospital and where it should be located.

By Garry Boulard

---