West Wimmera Health Service is building the Ray and Violet Marshman Community Rehabilitation Centre at the service’s Nhill site.

Acting chief executive Ritchie Dodds said the centre was much needed in the region and would benefit the wider community.

“We will have a rehabilitation pool, which will cater for all types of people recovering from injuries,” he said.

“It will allow for hydrotherapy, which will help older people and disabled clients in the region.

“There isn’t a pool like this in the region outside Horsham, so it will be a much-used service in the area.”

Mr Dodds said the centre would benefit more people than just Nhill residents.

“It will be used by all people in our health service catchment, which runs from Kaniva to Rupanyup,” he said.

“It will also be used by our allied health staff, occupational therapists and physiotherapists to treat patients.”

Mr Dodds said the centre would include a gym.

“Nhill doesn’t have a gym, so this will be open for the community to use,” he said.

Concrete for the pool was poured this week, marking the start of the project’s development.

Mr Dodds said he hoped the centre would be operational by August.

He said he was confident the anticipated construction deadlines would be met.

“We’ve received much needed financial assistance for the project,” he said.

The centre will be named the Ray and Violet Marshman Community Rehabilitation Centre, in memory of the late Ray and Violet Marshman, who committed to donate $450,000 to the project.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Marshmans,” he said.

“Their contribution is significant and will have a lasting impact for our community by providing people with access to first-class rehabilitation services at their doorstep and better enabling our allied health staff to treat patients.”

Mr Dodds said he was looking forward to getting the centre and the gym up and running.

“It will be co-located with our allied health unit, so it is about bringing all our services together,” he said.

West Wimmera Health Service board appointed Kennett Builders as construction managers of the centre in September. 

“It’s great to have Stuart Allen and his team from Kennett Builders on board,” Mr Dodds said.

“They bring a wealth of knowledge as project managers, with the experience necessary to construct a hydrotherapy pool that is integrated with other existing services.

“In addition to their experience, Stuart and his team appreciate the importance of using  trades from within the region, helping to support local business wherever possible.”