FALL RIVER: As the sounds of saws and hammers echoed in the background, a ceremonial sod turning took place marking the beginning of construction on the new 144-bed Northwood long-term care facility in Fall River.
Charbel Daniel, CEO of Northwood; Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barb Adams’ and Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank MLA Brian Wong were joined by construction workers from RCS Construction, community residents, Northwood staff and Seniors and Long-Term care staff for the event. Wong was the emcee for the event.
Under sunny skies with a bit of wind, Daniel, Wong, and Adams all used a shovel each to lift some sod and shovel it away representing the sod-turning.
Construction started at the site about two weeks ago and there has been substantial progress made already. It’s expected to open in mid-2028.
Daniel said it will take three years to build the Fall River facility. That is a bit longer than normal but is because of some neat features at this location.
“This project is a little bit longer simply because of the underground parking and the geothermal, which is very unique to the long-term care sector,” he said in an interview after the sod-turning with The Laker News. “It just makes this place even more special.”
Wong called the long-term care facility development an “exceptionally wonderful” project for Fall River.
“One of the big things in this community is that there’s no place for seniors to downsize from their homes,” he said.
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Adams was asked about the length of time it took to get from the announcement stage of it coming to shovels in the ground and construction started. She said each project has the same 11 step process to follow.
“Eventually you get to this time which is the shovels in the ground,” she said. “Some things get a slight delay when you’ve got to get some zoning regulations passed through city council and on to this phase.
“We try to move everything as quickly as we can, but this one’s going to be delivered on time, which is sometime May of 2028.”
Three years seems like a long time, but Adams agreed in .a blink of an eye it’ll be here and ready to open
She was asked what having a long-term care facility of this nature in Fall River will mean to residents in the community who will get the opportunity to stay in their community in their older years.
“It’s going to mean everything. It’s going to mean the difference between going to a facility where you feel sad when you come in, or when you leave your family member there to one where they’re so happy to be here. Family especially is going to leave with that feeling of joy that their loved one is living in a facility so beautiful that even they would want to live there.”
Daniel was asked about the 144 beds as it had been mentioned previously that 100 of the beds would come from Halifax, as if they were attached to residents at another facility. That’s not the case, he clarified.
“All the beds are essentially open to take 144 names off the list of seniors that are waiting for long term care,” he said. “That’s how it’ll happen when the door is open. There’s nobody attached to those beds.”
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Adams was asked if the opening of this facility will impact Ivy Meadows in Beaver Bank. She said it won’t directly impact that one.
“It’s not going to impact it directly,” she said. “Anytime a new facility opens, it takes pressure off the system because there are other people who are waiting either at home or in our hospital for a room here.
“Taking 144 people from community and the hospital system just reduces the strain on the entire system, as well as home care, which also is looking after people until they move in.
“It’s going to have a beneficial effect to everybody, including the community around here, because it brings jobs to this community. There’s an economic spin off for everybody who lives and works here as well.”
Wong said the development is truly an example of collaboration and partnership.
“It’s nice to see so many people out today from the community as well to support this,” he said. “I truly want to say that the residents, the community of Fall River and surrounding area is truly appreciative of this project, and we thank you.”
Daniel said Northwood staff are excited to be coming to the Fall River community.
“It’s been exciting for us because this is so needed by the province,” he said.
He admitted these things do take time to ensure everything is done properly and items such as sewage are dealt with properly, which will be on site with a system.
“I believe the talk was around how to decontaminate it, and it might have been going into a body of water here,” said Daniel.
“That wasn’t the best option, and we collaborated with the community to find this model that is a much more eco-friendly model that that works for everyone.”
“We want to get it right. We want to make sure we’re doing environmentally friendly things with the construction and building it here so that took a little bit.
“We’re here and we’re proud of all the work that got us here.”
