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Alpena Community College breaks ground for updated nursing facility

ALPENA, Mich — Alpena Community College is always striving to improve their quality of education for students. The ground–breaking at Van Lare Hall was a step in the right direction for emerging health professionals at the school.

The ceremony for the Healthy Futures Start Here renovation project kicked off Monday afternoon. Remarks from faculty, staff, and community members were followed by a presentation of designs for the new building. President of Alpena Community College, Dr. Don McMaster, says advancement of health care education is crucial with Alpena’s demographics.

“Our population in this region is aging, so there’s more need for healthcare. So there’s jobs available for students who want to stay in this region.”

Talks of the updated facility have been in the works for years, and raising money for the renovations has been a major part of the process. Executive Director of the ACC Foundation says,

“The project is an $8.7 million dollar project and the community has come together to raise over $3 million of that, with a little bit of help from the state of Michigan and some grants.”

A number of updates will happen behind the scenes, including a new HVAC system, and an upgraded heating and cooling system. The building will also house a state–of–the–art simulation lab, and manikins made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, the project wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of community members. President McMaster says he’s grateful for every contribution.

“We certainly appreciate the support of the community in this project. It’s probably more money I think than we’ve ever raised for any project at ACC.”

The new building is expected to open in December of 2020.