THUNDER BAY – The long-awaited move for residents into a new senior’s housing development has been pushed back again.
St. Joseph’s Care Group president and CEO Tracy Buckler confirmed to tbnewswatch.com on Thursday the scheduled transition for residents to the 261,000 square foot expansion to Hogarth Riverview Manor has been delayed from October until December at the earliest.
“There are a number of small, progressive delays that have added up over time. We’re working very closely with our general contractors to try to make up time. Our project managers are working hard to make sure every part of the schedule is being met,” she said.
“It’s not surprising with a project of this size there would be a slight delay. We don’t think two months is too bad.”
The new facility will take in some current residents at the city-run Grandview Lodge and Dawson Court, allowing those homes to be closed.
As recently as June, Buckler had said the project remained on track for residents to begin to move in at the end of October.
While expected to be short, this latest delay is another false start on a project that has taken nearly a decade to get off the ground.
Then known as the Centre of Excellence for Integrated Senior Services, the facility was targeted to open in 2012 but numerous postponements resulted in the groundbreaking not taking place until 2013.
“I think this project is a success,” Buckler said, adding the $83.6 million project remains on budget. “In the grand scheme of the project size and scope that a couple of months delay to make sure it’s right and everything in place, I’m not disappointed at all. I’m happy we’ve progressed as well as we have to date.”
The 416 beds in the new construction, combined with the existing Hogarth Riverview Manor, will bring a total of 544 long-term care beds to the development.
Current residents at Hogarth Riverview Manor will be moved in December, followed by 150 residents each from Grandview Lodge and Dawson Court in early 2016.
Emma Westover, the city’s project manager of the homes transition, said contingency plans were prepared in case of construction delays.
But it has an impact on the ability of residents and their families to prepare for the move.
“They’ve been looking at the end of October, November and December as the time they’re going to move so really for families I think it’s challenging,” she said.
Buckler said the organization is meeting and consulting with residents and their families to keep them informed and updated about the new move in schedule.
