Oak Park-based PCC Wellness Center hosted a grand opening for its eighth community health center in the Oak Park and Chicago area on Saturday.

The $5.4 million facility is located in the Austin community at 5425 W. Lake St. The Austin Family Health Center will provide health care to residents of Austin and the surrounding communities. Saturdayfs grand opening brought out elected officials, including Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

"The Austin community is a great community; you have great families, great churches; schools that are changing and turning around," he said. "I really appreciate all those involved — the board of directors, volunteers, campaign people and the wonderful staff that make up this facility."

The primary goal of the center is for Austin residents to have access to high-quality health care regardless of their economic circumstances, explained Robert Urso, president and CEO of PCC Wellness Center. The two-story structure is located in what was a vacant lot alongside the CTA Green Line. The city sold the land to the Wellness Center — valued at $345,000 — for $1. The Austin center will have a strong emphasis on maternal and child care services, provided without regard to an individualfs income or insurance status.

"In the midst of this difficult economic time the need for this health center is greater then ever," Urso said.

Also in attendance Saturday: U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin; Illinois Treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias; Cook County Commissioner Earlean Collins; and Oak Park legislators State Sen. Don Harmon (39th) and state representatives Deborah Graham (78th), and LaShawn Ford (8th).

"This building is through the collaboration between the public and private sector, community and those who worked with PCC Wellness Center and others — the city of Chicago led by the mayorfs office and the aldermen locally," said Harmon.

PCC Community Wellness Center began in 1980 to provide health care services for underserved residents on Chicagofs West Side. Originally called the Parent Child Center housed inside West Suburban Hospital, it has grown to now eight health centers in Chicago and west suburbs. Itfs currently headquartered at 14 West Lake St. in Oak Park.

PCC volunteer Larinda McKelvy spoke at the grand opening about what the centers have meant to her. She had been a patient for two years, including prenatal care for herself and 18-month-old son.

"I first came to PCC when I was pregnant with my son, Logan. I chose PCC because it was close to my house and convenient. But over the years I stayed with PCC because of the excellent prenatal care they provided me," McKelvy said.