Escalante's only medical clinic is being expanded and remodeled, culminating two years of planning and seeking grants to help pay for the project.
The Kazan Memorial Clinic is operated by the medical staff of the Garfield Memorial Hospital and Clinics. It was named in honor of Dr. Ivan Kazan, who lived in Escalante and, as pilot of his own airplane, flew to other small rural communities to provide medical services.Several groups have been involved in the clinic project. The Escalante Action team was instrumental in getting a $15,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Escalante city officials cooperated by moving the police department out of the city-owned building to make room for the clinic. Also, Wayne Ross, administrator of the Garfield Memorial Hospital in Panguitch, has coordinated efforts to obtain equipment to expand a treatment room through the cooperation of Intermountain Health Care.
The Garfield Memorial Health Care Foundation has pledged additional funding if needed for equipment or the building.
An outside entrance to a large treatment and examination room will make it more convenient for ambulance services, officials said. The building will also contain a satellite dental office for Dr. Steven Hooper of Panguitch.
Project contractor is Reed Munson Construction of Escalante.