Great educational facilities, established sport and recreation and an active arts community are three of those ingredients.

But standing head and shoulders above these elements are health facilities.

Griffith certainly has its challenges with the public system – a Base Hospital that needs some more care and attention.

While the staff do an amazing job servicing patients, the facilities are in need of some long overdue attention.

So it was with great pride and expectation that the new private hospital opened its doors to the community on Friday.

The development of the St Vincent’s Private Community Hospital has been an amazing example of a community will to help itself.

While some regions are happy to accept what they are given from state and federal governments, the Griffith community determined that a private hospital was needed – and that’s exactly what happened.

For more than a decade this amazing community has worked diligently with St Vincent’s to turn what started out as a dream, into reality.

In the early days, the project had its fair share of knockers, but as the fundraising ramped up and the concept was taken from the drawing board into bricks and mortar, the entire community could see what was being achieved.

This isn’t about replacing the important role played by the Base Hospital – but about complementing it.

The many Griffith residents who have held private health insurance will now have a facility they can access easily while remaining in our wonderful community.

Hopefully when the hospital takes its first patients late in October, the pressures on the public system will also get some long overdue relief.

Above all of that, the development makes Griffith an even more attractive place.

The opening of the new hospital adds to the fantastic educational facilities, providing a sound platform for further growth.

Congratulations to those involved in the project who saw the vision all those years ago and dared to dream of this new facility.

It is their determination and commitment that has provided our community with this hospital that will enhance the health services in our region.