Trinity Clinic-Lindale Project Gets Rolling
However, this past Thursday, that field erupted with excitement as City of Lindale officials, members of Trinity Mother Frances Health System, Senator Kevin Eltife and other patrons gathered for the ground-breaking ceremony for Trinity Clinic-Lindale.
Plans for the state-of-the-art facility have been in the works for several weeks. Although the anticipation has been great since the idea surfaced, that excitement couldn't hold a candle to Thursday's festivities. Construction on the multi-physician facility is expected to take several months to complete.
"This is a lot of fun," said Lindsey Bradley, FACHE President and Chief Administrative Officer of Trinity Mother Frances Health System. "A lot of important things start with an idea. Ideas take time. You have to think of business plans and all these kind of things. But to finally see an idea turn into a drawing of a facility and putting a shovel in the dirt, really brings an idea to reality.
"This is real. We're very proud of what we're bringing to this family."
In addition to the physician offices, Health System officials say the facility offers extended hours, along with extensive laboratory and X-ray capabilities.
The facility will have EKG and Stress Testing, Cardiac Monitoring, Ultra Sound, Mobile MRI, Mamography and CT.
The Health System currently operates Trinity Clinic-Lindale. The clinic will relocate to the new facility.
Dr. Roger Fowler and Dr. Eleazar (Eli) Vera Jr. are the physicians.
As an added bonus, the facility will also have a fitness center and swimming pool.
"We started out thinking the facility was going to be approximately 20,000 square feet," Ray Thompson, FACHE, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Trinity Mother Frances. "But it's going to be 30,000 square feet. The folks here are going to not only have a facility where you can receive help, you're going to be able to take care of your own personal fitness."
The location also provides a convenient access. Plus, there's enough space available to provide additional expansion in the future.
"Northern Smith County, Southern Wood County and Eastern Van Zandt County are all growing rapidly," Bradley said. "Lindale has a very vibrant community, bringing in new businesses. Our system wants to grow and provide health services for the people who are here and that will be brought here by new growth and the retirees that will come to this area."
Thanks to a Comprehensive Plan in the works and some local citizens' vision to move forward in a productive way, Lindale is becoming a hot spot.
A new Lowe's store is in the plans and talk of other businesses locating to the community are happening.
That's what attracted Trinity Mother Frances.
Getting the new health facility is a major boost to Lindale.
"Visions start out as something that is seen in the mind or in the heart," Lindale Chamber of Commerce President Dan Moore said. "It's great when you can see a vision materialze. The Chamber of Commerce is so excited when we hear a business coming to our community. We have vision here. We have direction. We have focus. It's good to bring someone like Trinity Mother Frances in a bigger presence.
"I've had so many people say to me 'we hear, we hear, we hear, but we don't see.' Well, we saw with the shoveling of some dirt. Now, news is going to hit we have a quality place of excellence like Trinity Mother Frances to help us fullfill the vision we have for our city."
Mayor Bobby McClenny believes brining the new clinic to Lindale is another boost for the City's growth.
"Lindale is midway between Dallas and Shreveport," McClenny said. "We could very well say this is where Dallas and Shreveport meet. We have the proof of it today and the days ahead.
"These events have been long coming. But I believe you can say Lindale has arrived."
©Lindale News & Times 2005
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