Pipes burst, flood second ACCESS Winnipeg health centre

A second flood, caused byburst pipes, has shut down anotherACCESS Winnipegcommunity health centre Monday.

The first centre, ACCESS Winnipeg West, which just opened its doors in Maynear the Grace Hospital, has been damaged by water on all floors, including the daycare, according to a press release from the Winnipeg Regional Heath Authority (WRHA).

Afrozen water pipe burst in the early hours of Sunday on the third floor of the centre. The extent of the damage is still being assessed "but it does appear significant and the building will not be operational in the short term," aWRHApress release stated.

2nd ACCESS centre affected

The WRHAcirculated another release Monday afternoon stating a secondcentre, ACCESS Downtown, had flooded as a result ofpipesbursting.

The first and second floors of the centre, located at 640 Main St., flooded,after heating coils froze and burst.

The approximately 110 staff working inthe centre on a daily basiswere forced to leave the building shortly after 2 p.m. when the leak was detected.

WRHA officials said no one wasinjured and that the extent of the damage isn't yet known.

Registration centre set up to re-direct clients

Normally, ACCESS Winnipeg West has about 170 staff working in the facility on a daily basis, providing services such as a primary care clinic, speech language pathology, audiology, community mental health, and home care, among others.

The centre's JonEinarson said hospital officials have now developed a contingency plan to accommodate the approximately 100 to 125 clients who visit the centre every day for appointments. Contingency plans for ACCESS Downtown patients have also been implemented.

Einarson said a registration centre has been set up in the lobby of the Grace which will re-direct people seeking services to other locations:

• Primary Care Clinic relocated to former Social Work offices, lower level Grace Hospital
• Community Mental Health and Mental Health PACT Team relocated to Mental Health Department (PAS), Grace Hospital
• Home Care relocated to Auditorium, Grace HospitalSwitchboard to co-locate with Grace Hospital Switchboard
• Public Health Nurses relocated to 1001 Corydon Ave.
• Audiology/Speech Language relocated to Deer Lodge Centre
• Child & Family Services management staff will operate remotely
• Family Services Programs
• Community Living disABILITY Services relocated to 280 Broadway
• Childrens disABILITY Services relocated to 111 Rorie St.
• marketABILITIES Program relocated to 111 Rorie St.
• Early Learning & Child Care relocated to 111 Rorie St.
• Employment and Income Assistance relocated to 111 Rorie St.(clients please call 204-948-4000)