ROCK FALLS, Ill. — Residents of Whiteside County will soon be able to see things a bit more clearly.
That's because a new optometry center is opening in the Whiteside County Health Department and Community Health Clinic. The building already offers dental, behavioral, psychological and basic medical services.
The optometry center will act as a new resource for local residents to get their eyes checked by health professionals.
The expansion also includes a new canopy entrance at the front of the building. The center was paid for using a $1,000,000 federal grant, and the canopy entrance was bought using nearly $2,000,000 of local funding.
CEO of Whiteside County Health Department Cheryl Lee said the reason for the expansion is to create a more convenient way for people to receive multiple types of health care.
"I think everybody needs quality health care, but they needed an affordable price," Lee said. "And so that's what we're able to offer to our community. Kind of a one stop shop for our patients at a low cost."
The center hosted a tour of its facilities on Saturday, Nov. 2. Sterling native Lauren Zuidema was one of the visitors who showed up.
"It's an easy place to come to get a lot of things done at once," Zuidema said. "If you can schedule your appointments for eye care and dental care at the same time, it kind of makes it a little bit more accessible for people."
Work on the project started in the spring and was completed in October. Lee said they also offer safety glasses for residents along with their wide selection or regular glasses.
They have already been scheduling appointments and plan to open their doors to patients on Monday, Nov. 4.