Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Bill Bradley
When construction on the one-site hospital is completed next year, there will be no capacity for the 56 Pioneer Manor residents who were displaced by a fire more than two years ago, said hospital media relations spokesperson Sean Barrette Wednesday.
In October 2006, a fire damaged a wing of Pioneer Manor. Since then the City of Greater Sudbury, the municipal owners of Pioneer Manor, have been housing the seniors on the fifth and sixth floors of Sudbury Regional Hospital's Laurentian site.
These patients are considered long-term care patients, not alternate level of care patients.
“When we go to one site (in late 2009), they will need other accommodation unless Pioneer Manor is in a position to take them back (at that time). This adds to the complexity of the ALC crisis facing the hospital. We have to create the capacity in the community for them. They have to be included in the discussion,” said Barrette.
Construction on the Pioneer Manor reconstruction is already underway, said Catherine Matheson, Greater Sudbury general manager of community development.
“We have the money. We are at the construction footings stage and expect to open the doors in early 2010.”
There will be a six month transition period between the completion of the one site hospital and the opening of the new wing of Pioneer Manor.
“We are looking at housing Pioneer Manor residents in the Memorial site for six months. We are working with the hospital in this matter,” said Matheson.
The city has been involved in an insurance dispute over how much money it will receive in damages from the fire at Pioneer Manor.
Plans for the Pioneer Manor reconstruction have included an energy efficient green architectural design and innovative structural accommodation for dementia patients so they are better able to wander at will safely within the building.
According to Matheson, Greater Sudbury general manager of community development, the insurance settlement process has come out well for the city.
The fire caused the loss of 56 beds. Newly built beds total 32, while 24 are being renovated in the building, she noted.
“The tender for the new wing at Pioneer Manor is $14.6 million. We did get provincial capital infrastructure funding for $7.8 million for 32 new beds. Our pre-arbitration insurance offer was for $5.6 million for the building loss. But we were awarded $6.1 million. That means we are $500,000 ahead,” said Matheson.
There is $700,000 that still must come from the Pioneer Manor reserve fund to complete the capital cost, she said.
“I think that is a good deal when you consider we are getting more beds and the tender was below our original budget of $15.6 million,” said Matheson.
However, the proof of loss claim filed at the insurance arbitration hearing was $14.4 million, said Matheson.
“There may be some confusion in the community over this number. The $14.4 million was for the purposes of negotiation only,” she said.
