The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced that sites in Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor have been selected as the future homes of two long-term care facilities in central Newfoundland.
“I am pleased to see the momentum continuing to build throughout our province as we move forward on these major health care initiatives,” said John Haggie, minister of health and community services. “In my capacity as MHA (Member of the House of Assembly), I am especially excited about the new 60-bed long-term care home in Gander. This will let more people remain in the community and be closer to their families. This will also help to alleviate existing pressures on the acute care system resulting in better access and better care for the people of the province.”
The new 60-bed facility in Grand Falls-Windsor will be constructed on Scott Avenue, between Valley Road and the site of the former Abitibi Consolidated mill. The 60-bed facility in Gander will be built next to the College of the North Atlantic campus and accessible via Magee Road.
In January, a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was issued to establish a short list of private sector businesses interested in designing, building, financing, and maintaining the new homes in Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor. The department anticipates announcing the short list of proponents and issuing the Request for Proposals in the coming weeks.
In addition to long-term care facilities in Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor, a contract valued at approximately $600,000 to design a 20-bed protective care unit extension for the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Centre in Botwood, has been awarded to Fougere Menchenton Architecture Inc. The department anticipates issuing a tender to build the extension in October.
Upwards of 200 public service employees will be required to staff the facilities. Construction for all three projects will begin in 2019, leading to more than 343 person-years of employment created and $39 million in economic activity.
