A special ceremony has marked the official opening of the Vaccination Centre in Chatham, even though the facility has been operating now for a couple of weeks.
Municipal leaders gathered at the Bradley Centre to talk up the importance of the centre and what it stands for. They opened with an Indigenous ceremony, including a prayer, drums, and smudging to bless the space.
Mayor Darrin Canniff says no one ever expected to be using the Bradley Centre for this purpose, but it is vital in our recovery physically, financially, and emotionally.
“Our community as a whole has come together. Of all the negatives that’s happened with COVID, it’s really shown what Chatham-Kent is all about, it’s the people.”
He says the centre is providing the light at the end of the tunnel for the entire community.
With emotion filling his voice, Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Colby praised the support of front-line staff, including those who operate the vaccination clinic and work behind the scenes to battle the pandemic.
“The real heroes are the people with boots on the ground, they’re the real heroes here that have delivered all this, there are too many to name.”
Other speakers included Councillor Joe Faas, CKHA CEO Lori Marshall, EMS General Manager Donald McLellan, and MPP Rick Nicholls.
