VA of Central Iowa announced the opening of its new primary care clinic in south Des Moines, with plans for a public ribbon-cutting ceremony to be held at the facility on Aug. 17 at 3 p.m. VA of Central Iowa has been transitioning patients into the new 42,000-square-foot clinic through July and continuing this month. Located at 1211 E. Army Post Road at Southridge Mall, the building was formerly occupied by Toys R Us. The current VA Medical Center at 3600 30th St. in Des Moines will continue to provide specialty care to the more than 32,000 active, registered patients in the Central Iowa VA area. Also, the VA’s Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in Mason City, Fort Dodge, Carroll, Marshalltown and Knoxville will continue to operate normally as primary care locations. “We’re very excited about this new facility and the improved access to care for our Veterans,” said Darwin Goodspeed, director of VA Central Iowa. “More parking, bigger exam rooms, expanded telehealth, dedicated women’s health spaces, and other upgrades make this clinic a great place for our veterans to come for care, and for our staff to work.” The move will also vacate 19,000 square feet of space in the Beaverdale VA Medical Center to be upgraded, modernized and used for other medical services.