The North Queens Medical Centre Association was formed in the mid-80's by a group of concerned citizens addressing the impending retirement of the community's only doctor. The challenge was to get another doctor to come to this community. It was decided that the best way to accomplish this was to create a space for a doctor to move to.

The Province donated the old liqour store double trailer and the land it was on. As well they provided some funding for renovations and equipment. There was much community fundraising at the time, also considerable financial assistance from Bowater Mersey Paper Co.

The official opening was in October 1989. In 1990 we welcomed our first doctor, the first salaried physician in Nova Scotia. Over the years this board remained active, recruiting physicians, participating in the Nova Scotia Heart Health Program, maintained membership in Nova Scotia Federation of Community Health Centers. In time we had two full-time physicians on staff and two office staff. We had a number of health-related programs ongoing, as well as a weekly visit by the lab staff of Queens General Hospital.

Space was always a problem. The trailer was never really well suited to a community health center-confidentiality always an issue, there was no staff lunchroom; not to mention that when it rained the water came up through the floor. In 1999 we decided to respond to an invitation to submit a Letter of Intent for the Strengthening Primary Care initiative, a joint initiative of Federal and Provincial Governments. It was a huge amount of work, but it was most definitely worth it: we were named one of four test sites to receive funding for a nurse practitioner and staff, to work in a collaborative practice with our exisiting medical staff. Of course this stretched our resources to the limit, space-wise. We had to rent another trailer and attach in to the existing structure. It was a stopgap measure at best, and did not meet the needs of the project and the community adequately. So - we had to finally bite the bullet and do what we had been talking about for years: build a new Health Center.

We had already invited our physicians to help design a new facility. With their input we came up with a basic floor plan that incorporated both the needs of the practice and the needs of the community in terms of rooms for programs and meetings, as well as a lab facility. We established a network of canvassers for every smaller community in North Queens. We wrote to all of the local businesses and organizations inviting them to participate by making donations. We recognized every donation of $100 or more with a place on a "Community Wall" which is now in the lobby of the new building. And finally, when the building was completed, we invited the whole community to celebrate its official opening.

The building would not have been possible if we had not had the considerbale financial support of the three main players: Bowater Mersey Paper Company, Region of Queens Municipality, and Queens General Hospital Foundation. Once we had the floor plan, we began to cost the project and developed a presentation package. We made presentations to all of these groups and these were favourably received.

Once announced the Square Foot Club (the concept of one of our board members), it did not take long for the community to respond. Every donation was listed in the newsletter. Every individual or group who bought a square foot (for $100) was sent a letter of thanks along with a tax receipt. A board was consrtucted and displayed in front of the building, indicating the number of square feet purchased. A major factor in our success was the donation of time and materials. Our foundation was dug at no cost by a local contractor. Donations of time and materials came from lumber mills in the area. One industrious person volunteered to do most of the inside painting. In fact even the doctors did their share of the work.

In the end we brought the project in under budget. This project is a classic example of a community recognizing a need and working together to meet that need. Today the North Queens Community Health Center serves as a model, recognized all over Canada, for effective delivery of primary healthcare in a rural community. Today we have two full-time physicians and a full-time nurse practitioner. We get visits from pediatritions, addiction services, mental health ad diabetes education. We are also connected within the Telehealth Service where an individual can see, hear and speak with another health care provider from a different area.