Your New Cassellholme… A Win For The Community, Growth and Development For The Region

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021

NORTH BAY – The Board of Management for Cassellholme announced construction of your new Cassellholme is ready to proceed.

Board Chair, North Bay City Councillor, Chris Mayne said, “Eleven years of planning and preparations have gone into this. There is still work to do, and with the strong support of our municipal partners, we now look forward to starting construction.”

Cassellholme; CEO, Jamie Lowery said, “This is a great news story for the region and a big win for our partner municipalities who have supported the new build from the beginning. A new senior’s facility will enhance growth and development here in North Bay and provide economic spinoffs regionally.”

Discussed for more than two decades and approved in 2010, the new Cassellholme will be a state of the art long term care facility. Larger, more efficient rooms, corridors, and common space, will ensure residents, staff and visitors have more personal space, a key consideration for social distancing. The new building, designed by local architects, Mitchell Jensen, is bright and airy with logical pedestrian flow and contemporary HVAC for better ventilation management and infectious disease control.

In a letter to the Cassellholme Board, Carmen Anello, whose mother is a resident said, “…I’m saddened my Mother has to live in an outdated facility. Redevelopment needs to move forward as it will have a positive impact to all the residents and their families.” Anello added, “Let’s make it happen now.”

“The current building has been a terrific asset for the community,” said Lowery, “but, it has reached the end of its useful life. Assistive devices and transfer units don’t always fit into rooms, resident beds are too close together, and ongoing maintenance and capital costs are becoming an annual strain and difficult to budget for.”

The new build brings much needed financial stability for both Cassellholme and the municipalities who fund a portion of operations through annual levies.

The government of Ontario has committed up to $65 million in funding for construction with financing options for the balance being considered by municipal partners. The $121,889,390 total cost to build covers all aspects including all construction materials and labour, architecture and engineering, legal, all oversight requirements, furnishings, fixtures, everything.

“This is long overdue,” Said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli. “We made a promise Cassellholme would be a priority and we continue to push hard for the project. We’re fully behind it.”

As with any big project, Cassellholme has encountered hurdles. COVID certainly set the project back and focused attention on more important issues. COVID also emphasized the need for a new building.

“Given the experience of the past year I think we all better appreciate the importance of long term care in our community.” said Mayne.

“Our staff did an amazing job throughout COVID,” said Lowery. “We learned many valuable lessons and in terms of a new building, COVID has only confirmed the need to have a facility that meets or exceeds infectious disease protocols for seniors.”

Lowery went on to say, “The planning review process is complete, architecture and
engineering are done, financing options are in place and a price has been negotiated with a contractor with the intent to commence in late August.”

Cassellholme has been a member of the community since 1926. The current facility, opened in 1961, has
240 beds and had its last major facility overhaul in 1989. The new Cassellholme will provide continuing compassionate care while adding new specialized beds and beds for indigenous individuals, increasing the bed count to 264.

The current staff compliment will increase providing economic benefits in the community. The introduction of the most current technologies means better resident care and facility management and will allow Cassellholme to achieve significant savings through efficiencies which has a direct impact on municipal levies.

As a final thought, Lowery offered, “None of this would be possible without the close, collaborative efforts of all our stakeholders and partners. It hasn’t always been easy but this is such a win for all involved and I for one can’t wait to join Nipissing First Nation Chief McLeod, Long-Term Care Minister Fullerton, Nipissing MPP, Minister Vic Fedeli, members of our Board of Management, all our partner municipality Mayors, our staff, residents and their families as we hold a sod turning ceremony. Thursday, September 9, mark it on your calendar.”

Visit timetobuild.ca for more information about, Your New Cassellholme. The Time is Now.

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For additional information pertaining to this release and the Cassellholme project, contact:

Cassellholme
705-474-4250
400 Olive Street West, North Bay, ON, P1B 6J4