Proposed Pioneer Manor extension for elderly care gets council nod

BY BILL BRADLEY

Improved care for some of Greater Sudbury’s most vulnerable citizens got the nod from city council Wednesday.

Pioneer Manor’s proposed second 31 bed dementia unit was chosen by most councillors as being the top choice for submission for provincial funding through the one-time $300 million Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative program. Council had to choose from three projects brought forth by city staff: the Levack Water Supply Project, Notre Dame Avenue upgrade from Leslie St. to CN Railway tracks and the Pioneer Manor project.

Discussion was intense as each councillor argued for what they considered the best option. A recorded vote was agreed to. Pioneer Manor won six votes, the Levack Water Supply Project had three votes, while the Notre Dame Ave. upgrades brought up the rear with two votes.

Proponents for the Levack water project, an $18.5 million infrastructure project,  designed to allow the city to take over responsibility of potable water services from Vale Inco and Xstrata (for Onaping) took a setback  earlier in the evening. Council voted to defer the project back to staff for a more detailed financial plan including possible funding sources. At issue was the size of the project, the controversy over not going out to tender for $1.41 million in consulting services, and being forced to accept rigid deadlines by the province.

Ron Dupuis, Ward 5 councillor, said he was for the $8.5 million Pioneer Manor project as, “it is desperately needed”.

Ward 8 councillor Ted Callaghan said he was for the dementia unit option because, “it will warm the heart of those provincial funders looking at our submission. That is what this is about - getting the money.”

Frances Caldarelli echoed many councillors when she said, “the water supply problem in Levack and Onaping and the Notre Dame Ave. roadwork will get done. But we will never see this kind of provincial money without conditions.”

Janet Gasparini Ward 11 councillor backed up Caldarelli.

“This means 100 percent funding, not the usual 40 percent we are used to. We are in a long term care crisis. There is no place for these people to go,”  she said.  

Other councillors argued passionately for other options. Ward 12 councillor Joscelyne Landry-Altmann showed slides projecting the graphic deterioration of Notre Dame Ave. including sidewalks that were cracking. She contrasted that with the new Flour Mill welcoming sign, emphasizing how landscaping can beautify an area.

“If this option is defeated, I will hold council’s feet to the fire to get this mess corrected within two years.”

Ward 3 councillor Claude Berthiaume pitched the Levack water project.

“The province has given us a deadline, Dec. 31, 2008, to ensure the people of Levack and Onaping have adequate potable water. We can get $10 million from the province for this work. What happens if we don’t chose this? Will this impact on what residents pay for their water rate across the city? Already people are paying 46 percent more for water in the last seven years,” said Berthiaume.

Mayor John Rodriguez stated that health care was a provincial responsibility. Voting for the Pioneer Manor project “the Minister of Health is getting off the hook for this issue of long term care beds”, he said.

City staff were directed to prepare the winning proposal for Infrastructure Ontario before the Feb. 15 deadline.