Health alliance announces plans for new long-term care home in Stratford, demolition of Avon Crest
The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) has announced plans for a new long-term care home beside Stratford General Hospital.
On Monday, the HPHA said it entered into a land lease agreement with private care home operator Revera Canada that will allow the company to build a new 128-bed facility on the Avon Crest property, the site of Stratford’s original hospital.
The HPHA said the Avon Crest building will be demolished, adding that the new development will “serve as a catalyst to redevelop the remaining available land.”
According to the HPHA, this will include discussions with the city on accessible housing options.
The HPHA said the province gave the go-ahead for Revera to expand the Hillside Manor Long-Term Care Home west of Sebringville, and after assessing its options, the company decided to build a larger, state-of-the-art facility in Stratford.
“We simply do not have enough local long-term care beds,” said HPHA president and CEO Andrew Williams, in a news release. “As a result, patients end up staying in hospital far too long waiting for the specialized long-term care they actually need. This chronic situation leads to longer wait times for other patients requiring hospital services. Once all necessary government approvals are secured, our long-term land-lease agreement with Revera will contribute to the solution by creating increased local capacity. Moreover, it will improve hospital care by freeing up beds for those patients waiting for surgeries or requiring admission through our emergency department.”
No details have been released on the start date for construction or when the long-term care home is expected to open.
FIGHT TO SAVE AVON CREST
Stratford’s original hospital, now known as Avon Crest, was built in 1891.
Services moved across the street to the new Stratford General Hospital in 1950 and Avon Crest operated as a convalescent facility until 1990.
The hospital continued to use the Avon Crest site for outpatient services and administrative offices up to 2018. The building has been sitting vacant since that time.
On Monday, delegates spoke at a council meeting to voice their opposition to demolishing the old hospital.
"Why aren't they taking advantage of the existing buildings and all the government funding and grants that are available to retrofit Avon Crest?" one delegate said.
The HPHA has called the redevelopment of the property and increasing maintenance costs unaffordable.
“We've had some estimates done on the building that show about $24 million required just to bring it up to code,” Andrew Williams, HPHA’s CEO, told CTV News on Jan. 30. “That would not include any repurposing costs that would be necessary from a developer point of view.”
There were also environmental concerns.
Heritage advocates have tried to stop the demolition of Avon Crest. Stratford councillor Cody Sebben motioned to send a letter to the alliance endorsing that they designate the site under the Ontario Heritage Act.
"For the members of Save Avon Crest, for the nearly 150 citizens on our mailing list and the more than 3,000 people that signed our petition to save the building, it is inconceivable that Stratford City Council might allow this remarkable building to be demolished," another delegate said.
Coun. Sebben's motion was defeated eight to two, as council said they first wanted a legal opinion.
MORE: Group calls the possible demolition of Stratford's first public hospital 'a waste of history'
Williams said restoring Avon Crest isn’t financially feasible.
“We very much value the role that the heritage players play,” he said Monday. “In this particular case, this particular building, in this particular location, it just does not make sense from our perspective financially, or from a land development point of view to go down that road.”
Williams adds that locating the new care home on the Avon Crest site could serve as a starting point to redevelop the remaining land for housing.
-- With reporting by Hannah Schmidt
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa driver who appeared to be racing another vehicle on Highway 416 facing charges
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says an Ottawa driver is facing charges after being caught going 187 km/h on Highway 416.
Helicopter carrying Iran's hard-line president apparently crashes in foggy, mountainous region
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday, sparking a massive rescue operation in a fog-shrouded forest as the public was urged to pray.
Canadian immigration asks medical worker fleeing Gaza if he treated Hamas fighters
Lawyers are questioning Canada’s approach to screening visa applications for people in Gaza with extended family in Canada after one applicant, a medical worker, was asked whether he had treated members of Hamas.
4 homes lost due to wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C.
A wildfire burning near Fort Nelson, B.C., completely destroyed four homes and damaged six more properties, according to an update from the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
BREAKING NEWS 'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
French security forces work to regain control of airport highway in violence-scorched New Caledonia
Using armoured vehicles and backhoes to shove aside charred barricades, French security forces worked Sunday to retake control of the highway to the international airport in violence-scorched New Caledonia, shuttered because of deadly unrest wracking the French Pacific archipelago where indigenous people have long sought independence from France.
Diddy admits beating ex-girlfriend Cassie, says he's sorry, calls his actions 'inexcusable'
Sean 'Diddy' Combs admitted Sunday that he beat his ex-girlfriend in a hotel hallway in 2016 after CNN released video of the attack, saying in a video apology he was 'truly sorry' and his actions were 'inexcusable.'