To address traffic issues, Peterborough’s drive-thru COVID-19 testing centre is relocating to Eastgate Memorial Park beginning next week.
On Thursday, Peterborough Regional Health Centre announced the testing centre will move from the Northcrest Arena to the park at 2150 Ashburnham Dr. effective Monday, Sept. 21. The final day of operations at Northcrest Arena will be Friday.
Weekday operating hours will remain the same at Eastgate from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
“This community service will continue to be evaluated and may adjust operations based on demand,” the hospital stated.
The testing centre moved to the Northcrest Arena parking lot earlier this month after being at the Kinsmen Civic Centre since late May.
However, the hospital and Peterborough Public Health noted the Northcrest site has been seeing higher-than-normal testing volumes since Labour Day, with several days of more than 400 people tested, including 420 on Tuesday.
The increase in testing was causing problems with traffic backups and disrupting traffic flows along Marina Boulevard, Water Street and nearby residential streets.
Peterborough’s drive-thru testing centre is intended for people who do not have symptoms of the coronavirus. The centre is led by Peterborough County-City Paramedics with support from PRHC, the city and the health unit.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, contact PRHC’s Assessment Centre directly by phone at 705-876-5086 to determine whether an appointment is required. If you have been advised to be tested due to an exposure, please seek testing and follow public health recommendations to self-isolate or self-monitor.
When visiting the testing centre, bring your Ontario Health Card and driver’s licence. You can access your test results using your Ontario Health Card number on the provincial online portal or by calling your health-care provider.