BODAWAY/GAP, Ariz. – Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation marked a significant milestone in the construction of its new Bodaway Gap Health Clinic with a “Beam Signing Event” on Wednesday Sept. 11.
This event, held near the construction site adjacent to the Gap School, brought together key personnel, board members, staff, and contractors to commemorate the occasion. Once completed, the clinic will span over 123,000 square feet and will provide essential services such as primary care, dental, eye care, and Navajo Nation programs, including EMS.
During the event, approximately 25 attendees—including board members, contractors, and hospital leaders and staff —delivered brief speeches celebrating the progress made toward the new clinic. Chief Operations Officer Julius Young II remarked, “This is a significant milestone. This was a dream 20 years ago, and today, it is a reality.”
Board member Dolly Lane, a community member from Bodaway/Gap community, expressed her excitement, “My leaders were the ones who started this back in 2001, and I’m thrilled to see this progress,” she said. TCRHCC Chief Executive Officer Joette Walters also added, “We have been planning and talking about this for years. My predecessors, former CEO Lynette Bonar and the late Mr. Engelken, worked tirelessly on this project. But there is more to come as we continue to improve access to care for our community.”
The clinic’s vision began decades ago, with the Board of Directors and previous CEOs— the late Jospeh Engelken and Ms. Lynette Bonar—leading advocacy efforts to secure federal and tribal support for its construction. Today, the $170 million construction project is still 13 months from completion with 92 housing units, including 32 single-family homes and 60 hotel-style accommodations to be constructed for staff. About 50 percent of the construction workforce is from the local area, Young said. When opened, the clinic will employ around 240 staff members.
Following the speeches, attendees signed their names onto a 25 feet metal, construction beam, a symbol of their contributions to the clinic’s development. “Your names will always be etched into this building,” Young told the signers. A crane then lifted the signed metal beam into place above what will soon be the clinic’s main entrance. Then it was bolted down by construction workers.
The event lasted approximately 45 minutes and marked a moment of pride and accomplishment for all involved. Board President Franklin Fowler, who was part of the Navajo Area Health Board during the planning and discussion, said, “I couldn’t be more proud of the board today. The community deserves a facility like this.”
The Bodaway Gap Health Clinic is one of several new facilities being developed by TCRHCC to improve health care access for the Navajo Nation. Once complete, it will serve as a hub for comprehensive health care services, helping meet the growing needs of the local community.
For more information and updates on the Bodaway Gap Health Clinic or other upcoming projects, please visit www.tchealth.org
About TCRHCC:
Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation is a 73-bed regional referral medical center in Tuba City, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation. TCRHCC service area is 6,000 square miles and covers the western region of the Navajo and Hopi Nation. TCRHCC has received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and accreditation, the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
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