The building has suddenly come to dominate the view along Summit Avenue, from it's early days as just a drawing on a blue print, to the now completed shell of a building, the New Acropolis Manor looks to be closer and closer to completion.
The much anticipated and frequently delayed extended care facility is set for an opening in early 2009, the Daily news provided a progress report on the construction phase in Thursday's paper.
Structure finished as new Acropolis shapes up
BY CARLA WINTERSGILL
The Daily News
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Page one
Construction crews are making headway on the addition to the new senior's care facility that is being build adjacent to Acropolis Manor.
The structure is now complete and crews are shifting their focus to the interior of the building with plumbing, electrical, dry-walling and other finishing work now being undertaken.
The new facility is scheduled to be completed late this year and ready for occupancy by February 2009.
"It's exciting to see this important facility taking shape in our community," said city councilor Tony Briglio, who also serves as the Northwest Regional Hospital district chair.
"It will substantially improve care services for seniors in Prince Rupert, Port Edward and our outlying villages, providing seniors with the support they need and deserve as they age."
The new care facility will provide 15 assisted living units - to offer health assistance to seniors who can still live independently - and 56 residential care beds for seniors who can't live independently any longer.
"I think that it's clearly understood from the regional hospital district's perspective as well as Northern Health that the new facility will just meet the current needs without room for wiggle," said Briglio.
"I wouldn't be at all surprised if, within a few years, Northern Health will be adding on to that facility."
Despite the fact that the new facility will have 20 more beds than the current one, it will only match the number of beds that were originally at Acropolis Manor before it faced cutbacks.
"I think that there will be a handful more beds, that's it," said Briglio.
"Clearly, from my perspective and from the regional hospital district's perspective, we were looking for more beds ... I don't think that there's any spare room for additional needs than we already have in our community."
Briglio said that Northern Health is closely monitoring the demand for care, and has built the new facility with an eye to future expansion.
"The structure was actually built so it was a pod system, so extra buildings could be attached to it and that's how they're going to do it," said Briglio.
Once completed, the new facility will boast three respite beds for seniors who don't need a hospital bed but who require some short-term care, two palliative care beds for end-of-life care, and an expanded adult day centre, which can provide live-out seniors with care and recreation services.
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