COLERAIN – Officials from throughout the region came together to celebrate Tuesday morning.

A first-ever venture in the state of North Carolina is getting ready to be built in the small town of Colerain.

The new Colerain Primary Care and Nutrition Center facility held its official groundbreaking here Tuesday with officials from Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center (RCCHC), Bertie County, the town of Colerain and Albemarle Regional Health gathering.

“This is really a wonderful opportunity,” said RCCHC Board of Directors Chair Claudia Morris.

RCCHC Chief Executive Officer Kim Schwartz said the new project would be the first of its kind in the state and said it was a collaborative effort between RCCHS, Bertie County and the town of Colerain.

“It’s exciting to be a part of an effort that is the first of its kind,” she said.

The new 4,000-square foot facility will be built on River Road in Colerain just yards away from the current Colerain Primary Care. It was funded through grants from The Golden LEAF Foundation and the American Recovery and Investment Act.

The site will serve as the shared home of Colerain Primary Care and the Bertie County Council on Aging Nutrition Center in Colerain.

The Center will have a demonstration kitchen that will be used for serving daily meals as well as a shared conference room and education room.

The Primary Care office will be composed of five exam rooms, a consult Telepharmacy component and space for laboratory and nursing services.

The new facility is slated to be completed in approximately nine months.