Site preparation to begin for Clarenville long-term care facility

Premier Danny Williams, along with John Ottenheimer, Minister of Health and Community Services; Tom Rideout, Minister of Transportation and Works; and Ross Wiseman, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Community Services and MHA for Trinity North, today announced that site preparation is ready to commence for the long-term care facility in Clarenville.

�The ground-breaking of this facility is a major step forward in our overall plan for long-term care in the province,� said Premier Williams. �We are on target with the timing of this project and this demonstrates that our government will achieve its mandate to provide excellent health care and quality of life for seniors in the province.�

The government has invested $1.4M this year for the design and preparation of the site. The new facility will have 44 residents and the existing health centre will provide laundry, food services, materials management and other support functions to the new facility. Budget 2005 provided $4.3 million to upgrade long-term care facilities across the province.

�Our first priority is ensuring that the people of this province receive the highest quality health care,� said Minister Ottenheimer. �Our aging population and shifting demographics support a greater need for care and accommodations for seniors in the Clarenville area. This facility is being constructed in a location where residents are close to their families and home communities.�

The Department of Transportation and Works awarded a contract to Cougar Engineering and Construction, St. John�s, valued at $1,122,350 to carry out site preparation work for the long-term care wing, including hospital extension, relocating the high voltage switch gear and electrical transformer and extending visitor and hospital parking.

�A project of this magnitude requires a significant amount of time to appropriately plan,� said Minister Rideout. �Government has handled the planning process very effectively, and I am extremely pleased that we are now in the position to break ground on this new facility. As work is commenced in the next couple of weeks, residents will begin to visually see the results of government�s commitment to an increased quality of health care for citizens in the Clarenville area.�

The new facility is part of government�s Blueprint plan for health care to provide long-term care for seniors in regions where there is an identified need as well as to upgrade current facilities to ensure seniors receive the highest quality of care. The Clarenville region was one in particular that was identified as an area where a long-term care facility was needed.

�I am thrilled that the government�s plans for long-term care in this region are being realized today,� said Mr. Wiseman. �This new facility will have a monumental impact on the health and well being of seniors in the region and their families for years to come.�

Joan Dawe, Chairperson for Eastern Health, is pleased to see work begin on this new facility. �Meeting the needs of our new region is vitally important to Eastern Health and we are pleased to see construction begin on this new facility that will provide quality health care and support the long-term health care needs of the seniors in this region.�

Work is expected to start by mid-September and completion of the site preparation is anticipated by November 15.

Media contact:
  Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960, elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca
  Tansy Mundon, Health and Community Services (709) 729-1377, 685-1741
  Lori Lee Oates, ABC, Transportation and Works, (709) 729-3015, 690-8403

2005 09 12                           10:50 a.m.