Mayor Dave Augustyn's weekly column for May 28, 2018.
New Medical & Seniors Developments Coming to Pelham
Last Tuesday night, Council heard publicly from two groups working to build a medical centre and a retirement and long-term-care development in Fonthill.
First, the Town signed an agreement to sell nearly two acres of land in East Fonthill to a team led by Christina Dobsi, of Dobsi Medical, and David Kompson, a long-time developer in the Niagara Region, and supported by Greg Chew of Collier’s International.
The group anticipates 20,000 to 35,000 square feet of space to accommodate medical and health and wellness professionals, along with some retail. This will include eight-to-10 physicians with various specialties. Inquiries for services such as dental, aesthetics, and therapy are being accepted by the group.
We understand that this project will become a professional health and medical hub that will draw family physicians, medical specialists, and other health-related services to the community.
The location will be immediately East of the new Meridian Community Centre, at the South-West corner of Meridian Way and Rice Road. Plans call a “legacy building” to be completed by the summer of 2019!
Second, Council heard publicly about a multi-phase project consisting of seniors apartments, a retirement residence, and a long-term care facility coming to Pelham.
Led by Samer El-Fashny, owner and operator of various retirement and long-term care facilities in Ontario, the project’s first phase – seniors apartments and retirement residence – will be completed by 2019. It is anticipated that phase two’s long-term care facility will begin development in 2021.
The seniors apartments will be three-to-four stories and along the Eastern-side of the proposed public square at Wellspring Way and Meridian Way. They plan for apartments with fully equipped kitchens, an emergency response call system, and optional housekeeping.
The 140-suite retirement residence – further along the North-side of Meridian Way and toward Rice Road – will be four-to-five stories and include independent, assisted, and memory care living units. Twenty-four-hour nursing, personal support worker services, and a variety of building amenities such as private dining rooms and a chapel, for example, will also be available.
The proposed 192-bed long-term care facility will provide a mix of private and semi-private units and include additional services or space for day care and day programming. To be located along Rice Road and near the storm-water pond, the facility would employ upwards of 150 staff, including nurses, personal support workers, chefs, therapists, and administrative professionals.
In total, it is expected this retirement / long-term-care development would add approximately $60 million in economic development to the Town and could employ 200-250 healthcare and administrative professionals. The Town will sell just over six acres of land in East Fonthill for this project.
Dustin Gibson, Project Manager, informed Council that this development will allow for the seniors of Pelham to “age in place” by ensuring that as seniors care levels may change, different levels of supports will be readily available.
This medical centre and the retirement home / long-term-care development will help enhance the quality of life for residents. (For a copy of the retirement home / long-term-care development presentationclick here.)
Pelham’s demographics indicate, and residents tell us, that we need these types of facilities in Town. Council is proud to partner with these groups because they will be building such important services for the community.
Both projects help complete another part of the vision for East Fonthill, which also includes the Meridian Community Centre, Wellspring Niagara Cancer Support Centre, Parkhill’s affordable seniors housing, and new commercial developments.
You may contact Mayor Dave at mayordave@pelham.ca or read past columns at www.pelhammayordave.blogspot.ca .
