There’s still a long ways to go, but the next step has been taken in the effort to build a new Estevan Regional Nursing Home.
The Government of Saskatchewan announced in its budget on April 6 that it was committing $275,000 for the planning of a new long-term care facility in Estevan, which would be the new nursing home.
The government also announced planning for long-term care facilities in Watrous and Regina.
Don Kindopp, who is the chairperson of the new nursing home committee, noted it’s been about 15 years since the first discussions of a new nursing home were held. And it’s been six years since the Hearthstone Community Campaign reached its fundraising goal of $8 million, which was 20 per cent of the projected cost for a new nursing home and the amount needed to get into the queue for a new facility.
But since Hearthstone reached its goal, the project has been in the queue for new long-term care facilities.
“I’m ecstatic that the government has come forward and said that Estevan is now in the queue to start planning to replace the present nursing home. It’s like spring after winter. It’s a breath of fresh air and greenness and happiness,” Kindopp told the Mercury.
Approximately $8.9 million has been pledged towards the new nursing home. Municipal government partners have a sizeable portion of that in trust for the committee once construction starts.
“Through the generosity of the continued effort of people through memorials and through the two large contributions from the (Tom and Irma) Trofimenkoff family and Mylan Chase’s estate, those were two sizeable contributions towards the fund,” said Kindopp.
There have been some donations that they have lost because of the economic downturn, but those have been minimal, Kindopp said.
“People have been very supportive and meeting their pledges, so we’re very grateful for that,” said Kindopp.
St. Joseph’s Hospital executive director Greg Hoffort said there has been tremendous fundraising and community efforts to get the facility to this point. The nursing home has worked closely with Estevan MLA Lori Carr, and they appreciate her efforts in the legislature and in the decision-making process.
“This is the start of the new nursing home, for sure, and these projects always start with planning, so to get that funding, one of three facilities chosen to get the planning dollars, it’s a welcome commitment,” said Hoffort. “I think it speaks to the work that our MLA has done on our behalf, in addition to a lot of tireless effort of the Hearthstone committee.”
There have been a number of changes in the proposed design over the years to make the project more affordable and more appealing to the provincial government.
But Kindopp said the plan remains to have it attached to long-term care.
“As for what it will look like, that planning money will help us determine whether it’s all one level, two levels or three levels, where and exactly how it will be put on the property at St. Joe’s Hospital, that all has to be determined yet. We all have our own personal thoughts, but when you put those all together, you have to come up with a plan that works for everybody.”
Planning money will be put towards a needs assessment and other expenses, but it’s not design money. Meetings will be held with Ministry of Health officials in the coming weeks.
While they want the new nursing home to be incorporated into St. Joseph’s Hospital, they also want it to have its own character, and for it to be a place for elders to receive care.
It’s not known how long it will take for the new nursing home to be constructed.
Kindopp hopes shovels can be in the ground in two years.
“We hope that planning money gets us far enough down the stage where we could start construction shortly after,” said Hoffort.
Kindopp and Hoffort said they haven’t been given an indication as to why they were selected this time, but they believe it reflects the dedication of the people on the Hearthstone and the new nursing home committees in pursuing the government so many times.
There has been a good relationship with Carr, and they have been able to communicate how important it was to replace the current Estevan Regional Nursing Home, which opened in the 1960s.
There was also a letter-signing campaign in which residents sent letters to the government, imploring for a replacement.
“There has been a large number of initiatives to make the government aware of the importance of the replacement of the Estevan Regional Nursing Home,” said Hoffort.
Everyone has been on the same team in the last 15 years, and they “all took shifts on the ice,” said Kindopp.
