State’s Much-Needed Rain Has Not Been A Blessing For Ventura County Medical Center
The bad weather has slowed work on the center's expansion project.
Ventura County Star:
Hospital Wing's Opening Date Delayed By Rain
Rain that has hammered the area for nearly three months has pushed back the opening of a new wing at the Ventura County Medical Center until July 14, an official said Tuesday. The weather slowed the pouring of concrete on outdoor walkways and an entry drive into the $305 million replacement wing in Ventura, creating a domino chain of delays, according to Joan Araujo, chief deputy director of the Ventura County Health Care Agency. "We need the rain," Araujo said, "but the reality is that it has cost some time." The project's move-in date was pushed back from a goal of May 7, Araujo said. The rain also slowed exterior work related to the building of a new six-story Community Memorial Hospital, just down the street from the county hospital. Spokesman Mike Ellingson said work on pouring new entry roads and sidewalks has been delayed, with the latter hopefully happening in the next two weeks. (Kisken, 2/28)