Niagara-on-the-Lake council narrowly avoided a potential four-month delay in the completion of the new medical centre on Garrison Drive by giving the clinic’s parking lot the stamp of approval.

The medical centre, behind the Shoppers Drug Mart plaza, is nearly complete done but it needed approval for its parking lot as soon as possible so the doctors can move in by Christmas. 

Project developer John Hawley appeared before the committee of the whole to seek approval of the site plan for the complex’s parking lot. 

Hawley’s request to approve the site plan was a late addition to council’s agenda and needed an immediate OK to avoid further delays.

If council had not approved the plan, the decision would have fallen to the new council, which takes office in mid-November.

“The building’s almost ready. We just need the parking lot,” Hawley said.

The plan for the development needs approval from council so the builders can hook up sewer and stormwater systems.

The medical centre was originally scheduled to open this spring, but supply chain issues caused by COVID-19 delayed the project, Hawley told council. 

Council voted unanimously to approve the medical centre’s site plan.