The old Garran Surge Centre is set to be removed "as soon as possible" as part of the upcoming ACT budget.
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Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said on Tuesday the removal of the structures on Garran Oval would be funded alongside the rehabilitation of the oval itself.
She said the work should be completed in a number of months, rather than years.
"It's been so long since it's been up, and when it was put up we were thinking 'oh, that will be here for six months' and now it's been three years," she said on ABC Radio Canberra.
"So we are now going to test the market ... we are going out with a tender as soon as possible ... to go through a procurement process to find a contractor to do the work.
"We also need to rehabilitate the Garran Oval ... there is funding in this budget to bring down the centre and to rehabilitate that."
While she didn't specify the exact monetary value, Ms Stephen-Smith said the majority of time between the beginning and end of the removal process would be receiving and planting new grasses for the oval itself.
The materials from the deconstruction of the centre will be recycled, she also said.
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The centre itself had been closed since February 28 when the government dropped its COVID management declaration.
It was one of the last remaining places in Canberra to offer free PCR testing, and had conducted over 240,000 tests during its time.
The $14 million centre was built in just 37 days on the Garran Oval in early 2020 run by Canberra-based Aspen Medical, and was intended to be an emergency department for COVID patients but was never used for this purpose.
The announcement of its removal came after it was revealed that more than $8 million would be going towards junior doctors as part of the ACT budget.
The money, over three years, will go towards improving the work environment of junior doctors including extending contract periods from two years to three. An additional two years on top of that can also be sought.
The budget will also provide $122 million in staffing and resources to operate the new critical services building, which is set to open in mid-2024.
An additional $9.9 million will also go towards increasing the pay of hospital cleaners.
Ms Stephen-Smith said the crux of the funding was in the interest of the workers.
"We are committed to their wellbeing and we know that a better supported workforce can deliver even better health services for Canberrans," she said.
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Sara Garrity
Sara writes about general Canberra news. She has previously worked as the journalist at Allhomes, writing about property news through a Canberra lens. You can email story ideas or tips to Sara at sgarrity@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Sara writes about general Canberra news. She has previously worked as the journalist at Allhomes, writing about property news through a Canberra lens. You can email story ideas or tips to Sara at sgarrity@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
