Hundreds head to Springfield to push for funding for new Little Village hospital
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hundreds of people from Chicago's south and southwest sides plan to head to Springfield in just a few hours.
They're pushing for funding for a new Saint Anthony Hospital facility in Little Village.
CBS 2'S Jackie Kostek reports on what they're fighting for.
Organizers are expecting about 400 people to board buses at Saint Anthony Hospital. The buses began making their way at 7 a.m.
They'll be heading to Springfield to ask state lawmakers for the necessary funding to build the new Saint Anthony development.
That facility would be on 31st Street and would anchor the Focal Point Community Campus - a development expected to have other commercial and community services.
City Council approved the Saint Anthony Hospital move to Little Village back in January. This group says the current Saint Anthony Hospital, which was built 125 years ago, has significant infrastructure problems and a new up-to-date hospital would lead to better patient outcomes and reduce costs.
They'll be pushing state lawmakers to allocate the necessary funding later today.
That group will be led by community leaders including Alderman Byron Sigcho Lopez and doctors from the hospital.
There is no word on when the hospital development could break ground, but organizers hope that it will happen within the next two years.