Cape Town - Construction on the new Ravensmead Community Day Centre is in full swing.
The Department of Health and Wellness announced last week that the site was handed over to the department on February 29 following consultations with community members and other stakeholders.
The department said the expected completion date is mid-2026.
Ward councillor Beverley van Reenen said there was a need for a larger space as the existing day hospital was too small for the rapidly growing population.
“Day hospitals serve as a midway between communities and hospitals. I am very pleased as it will be more convenient for our community members who must receive quality medical support services. It will provide distinct advantages in respect to expedited but also improved medical services and referrals to hospital when the need arises as well as shorter waiting times,” Van Reenen said.
Resident and Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Johannes Bastian said he joined the Ravensmead Health Forum over 20 years ago, saying there had been requests for a 24-hour hospital facility to be built for more than 25 years.
He said the site where the community day centre will be built was a haven for crime for a very long time.
“We waited 25 years for the clinic to be built and now the (project liaison committee) and Business Forum must fight for the community to be employed on the site,” he said.
“The facility has challenges. People must stand in the rain. We hope this new facility will cater for that because people stand, at the moment, in the rain outside there. And there’s a lot of other challenges people have at that day hospital,” Bastian said.
In a statement, deputy director for Professional Support Services in the Northern and Tygerberg sub-districts, Michelle Williams, said the new facility would replace the existing community day centre and staff at the existing centre would be transferred to the new clinic.
“The size of the current Ravensmead Community Day Centre does not allow for the desired expansion of services, therefore a new site was identified. The new building will allow for an expansion of services, such as allied health-care services which will be provided on a rotational basis as we share staff with surrounding health care facilities.”
Williams added: “Accessibility and safety is improved as it is close to the taxi route and the police station. The great news is that a pre-waiting area will be built to provide additional shelter before entering the facility.”
A community liaison officer who lives in Ravensmead has been appointed by the contractor, Atuba Construction.
This would allow for the facilitation of active participation.
“Furthermore, a project liaison committee was established with members of the Ravensmead community who will monitor the construction progress, as well as employment opportunities for the community at the building site,” they said.
Cape Argus