Yellowknife, N.W.T. – The town of Hay River is getting a new health centre and Friday the GNWT awarded the contract to the company that's going to be building it.

Local firm Arctic Canada Construction is teaming up with Bird Design Build Construction of Vancouver to design and build the 65 thousand square foot facility.

ArCan president Duncan Cooke said it will be state of the art.

"The state of the art of this facility is the energy efficient design criteria that we are required to incorporate and the Northern building knowledge that the GNWT in collaboration with or companies will incorporate into the design."

ArCan is already working on the project at Diamond Jenness Secondary School, so Cooke said this works out well.

"The timing is pretty much on par with our completion schedule for public projects in Hay River, so they will be able to maintain employment for several years to come and achieve journeyman statues for those who are apprentices."

Cooke said they plan to use local sub-contractors and construction is expected to start in the spring of 2013.

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