By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With construction beginning this past February, progress is right on schedule for the new Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic. The $32 million hospital project, west of Ellinwood on U.S. 56 Highway, could take up to two years to complete.
Ellinwood Hospital CEO Kile Magner said McCownGordon Construction is
slightly ahead of schedule, but there is still a lot that can happen between
now and when the project is finished.
"The roof is supposed to be on by the end of this month," said Magner. "Internally, about half of the framework for walls is up. They're getting ready to do dirt work for the parking lot. They're trying to get the roof and exterior walls done so they can work through the winter."
Ellinwood Hospital was approved for a $25 million loan from the United States
Department of Agriculture to help construct the new hospital that will be part
of the 15 acres along the highway.
"The more that goes up, the more the community gets excited," said Magner. "You can now physically see it, and it's not just a dream. It's a reality that gets a little more true every day."
The current hospital and clinic, on Main Street, are nearly 80 years old.