Another sign that Fort Mill's population growth is continuing in an upward spiral: Piedmont Healthcare System and Tenet plan to build a 64-bed hospital in Fort Mill, right at the corner of Hwy. 160 West and Hwy. 21 Bypass across from the Springs Farms Peach Stand.

It may just have peach trees now, but by 2008 this site could be the linchpin of a string of heath care services along the Hwy. 160 West corridor that Piedmont Healthcare has been developing over the past few years. It will complement the general family practices and specialty practices already here or moving into our area, and it will greatly expand upon the care available right now at Piedmont's Urgent Care Center in Baxter.

When it's built, the hospital will provide Fort Mill families with health services like we've never had before - even a maternity center - enabling Fort Mill mothers to give birth right here instead of traveling to Charlotte or Rock Hill.

Senior citizens, which make up 10 percent of Fort Mill Township's population, will have easy and nearby access to quality care. As more senior-friendly residential developments in Fort Mill and Indian Land are built, this additional service will be particularly vital to maintaining our community's overall quality of life.

Considering the downside of the building boom, from the need for costly public services such as schools and police protection, to the controversy over a proposed Wal-Mart, this is one project everyone can embrace. Not only will a hospital pump revenue into the tax base, but it will also provide good-paying local jobs in one of the better career categories.

Growth may occasionally cause problems for those of us who choose to live here, but this new feature coming as a result of growth in our area will be of great benefit to everyone. It may seem like a ways off right now, but we look forward to the day in 2008 when this new hospital opens to a warm welcome in our community.