Georgetown: The Regional Administration of Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) has invested $17M in infrastructural improvements at the Leonora Diagnostic and Treatment Centre and other service-providing entities in the area.
Speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Regional Executive Officer, Jennifer Ferreira-Dougall explained that the road leading to the Leonora Diagnostic and Treatment Centre (Leonora Cottage Hospital) has always been known for traffic congestion. This is due mainly to the fact that street is the only egress and ingress for the hospital. The road is also the main access to the Leonora Post Office, Leonora Early Childhood and Day Care Centre, Leonora National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and government living quarters.
Recognising this congestion and the risk it presents, the Regional Administration took the necessary measures to have the road rehabilitated which will now benefit road users.
Also, a $10M parking lot was constructed on an empty plot of land near the hospital. Ferreira-Dougall explained that the project that began late last year and is now complete.
The only vacant land that was available for the construction of the parking lot next to the hospital and near the other service providing entities was very low and swampy. “Last year we built it up with sand and loam but first had to excavate out the sap mud. We allowed the sand and loam to settle well on the land and this year upgraded the surface of the parking lot to Double Bituminous Surface Treatment (DBST). The parking lot is ready to be used,” the REO remarked.
With regards to access to the parking lot, a reinforced concrete bridge with steel beams was constructed at the cost of $4M. This bridge is supported by 120 feet of greenheart timber revetment which not only supports the bridge but also the front boundary of the parking lot.
Senior Superintendent of Works (SSOW), Shanganan Singh, who was directly responsible for the execution of the project, noted that the investment is one that will last a lifetime.
“The work that was done at the parking lot will guarantee a long lifespan and caters for vehicles up to 10 tons. It was built with the intention of catering for vehicles of all types basically,” SSOW Singh said.
Persons with vehicles requiring the services of all the service providing entities around the area can now utilise the parking lot and it is the expectation of the Regional Administration for vehicles to now park comfortably in the parking lot, leaving the carriageway free from congestion
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