ROTARIANS HEAR PLANS FOR A NEW ACADIA-ST. LANDRY HOSPITAL

CROWLEY POST-SIGNAL

Acadia St. Landry Hospital CEO Cindy Walters recently was the guest speaker at the Crowley Rotary Club. The 52-year-old hospital is licensed for 30 beds offering inpatient services, a swing-bed program, behavioral health program, diagnostics, six physicians on staff, respiratory and rehabilitation therapy, ground and air transport and an emergency room with an average 5-minute wait, Walters told Rotarians. However, she went on to explained it is time for the hospital to rebuild much like other older critical access hospitals have had to do. Current plans are to locate a new facility at 9600 Highway 35, 11 miles from the Rayne Interstate 10 exit. The 17-acre tract is already owned by the hospital. The new hospital will be 70,000 square feet, twice the size of the current 35,000-square-foot building. Estimated cost for the total project is $35 million and the projected completion date is 2022. Funds for the project include a combination of a $24 million USDA loan; $5 million in new market tax credits; $2.12 million local bank loan; and $3.75 million community investment of 10 mills for 10 years. The community investment increases the likelihood of receiving a USDA loan, according to Walters. The proposition will be included on the May 9 ballot. Those included in the millage vote include some precincts in Acadia Parish Wards 6 and 7 and precincts in St. Landry Parish Wards 8 and 11. “We are planning on transforming healthcare for the community with this new hospital,” Walters said.