Tag: Parsons Creek

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Ft Mac Health Politics

Long Term Care Facility Will be Relocated From Parsons Creek to Willow Square

Parsons Creek, Willow Square, long term care facility

The long term care facility that Fort McMurray residents have been looking forward to will be relocated from Parsons Creek to Willow Square according to the latest announcement on this facility. This facility has been in the planning stage for years as squabbles and negotiations were drawn out and protracted. A Coming Soon sign about the facility has been standing all alone for the last 3 years, and many have begun to suspect that the facility will never materialize. An announcement by the provincial government about the site relocation could mean even further delays. According to Sarah Hoffman, the Minister of Health, the relocation was necessary. Hoffman stated “You have to make decisions taking community perspective into consideration. And the community definitely spoke loud and clear on this one.”

The long term care facility move from Parsons Creek to Willow Square is just one more step in a process that seems to have gone on far too long for many local residents and members of the Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo communities. The press attache for Hoffman sent an email which explained that “The government intends to recoup as much of the investment as possible and is considering future development opportunities. The design may also be used for other developments as well as the prefabricated wall panels, which could be used on a similar project at another location.” Hoffman also said “It was clear that the desire to have it in the right location — especially after waiting so long — was the driving factor. They said ‘you know, we want it tomorrow, but we want it in the right place forever’.” Where do you think the new facility should be located? Why?

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Alberta Ft Mac Politics

Brian Jean Believes Parsons Creek Facility Should be Canceled, Facility Moved Downtown Instead

Parsons Creek, Brian Jean

Brian Jean, the Wildrose Opposition Leader, is requesting that the provincial government terminate the Parsons Creek continuing care facility development. This request is not because Jean thinks that the facility is not needed, rather that it should be located in downtown Fort MacMurray at Willow Square instead. Jean said “There’s still a chance to get this right. I find it absolutely outrageous that this was approved after the election when the people of Fort McMurray clearly said they have no interest in (the) Parsons Creek location. This is now made more expensive, (but) it doesn’t mean that it’s going to go ahead. This isn’t about money, this is about the right kind of care, in the right location, for the seniors who built our country.”

The Parsons Creek location for the continuing care facility has been controversial from the start. Brian Jean has said that every senior he has spoken with would like to see the facility in downtown Fort MacMurray, and that it is a mistake to move forward with the current plan and location. Changing things would have a cost because of cancellation fees, but that is better than spending a lot more on what Jean has called the “wrong project in the wrong location.” The Parsons Creek tender was awarded on May 13, 2015, the same day that Jean sent a written request to Premier Rachel Notley. The request was to delay the tender award, with Jean writing that “awarding the tender for Parsons Creek would have flied in the face of years of community consultation.”

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Economic Ft Mac Health Politics

Parsons Creek Tender Has Been Awarded

Parsons Creek, tender

The tender for the Parsons Creek continuing care facility has been awarded and the contract has already been signed. Provincial officials have said that construction will begin in the upcoming months. provincial Department of Infrastructure spokesperson Robert Storrier reported that the tender worth $41.7 million was awarded on May 13 to Ledcor Construction. The tender was won by Ledcor after it was opened for competition last fall. The tender bids that were returned were substantially over budget, and the tender was awarded when these bids came in around $22 million less than those last fall. According to Storrier “They attribute that to more favourable market conditions. There were [also] minor design adjustments, [but] in that case none of that would impact resident safety, comfort, or building functionality. And the other factor was they would start construction this summer, it wouldn’t start in the winter which has significantly higher costs.”

The Parsons Creek tender award is the next step towards the realization of the 100 bed continuing care facility. The beds will include 70 supported living beds and 30 long term care beds. Provincial officials have also said that the site is large enough to allow for expansion in the future with the hopes of adding an additional 100 beds. A number of senior residents have criticized the planned location, saying that putting the facility in downtown Fort MacMurray at Willow Square would be a better option. Councillor Phil Meagher is behind the current location, saying “You see the population every day moving to the north side [of Fort McMurray]. And people will grow there, families will grow up. And then they will want a long term care facility within that part of town. It will be important to have it there. Out in the country, it can be up to an hour to an hour and a half to two hour to a long term care facility from a little location.”

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Alberta Ft Mac

Parsons Creek Tender Reissued

Parsons Creek, tender

The Parsons Creek tender has been reissued, and hopefully this will put an end to the false starts and numerous delays that have plagued this project. The Parsons Creek continuing care facility is sorely needed, and the reissue of the tender allows for bids to be accepted through April 2 so that construction can start on the project in the near future. According to minister of infrastructure Manmeet Bhullar “This is a project that we value very much, and that’s why we really expedited the process to put a new tender out … so we can hit the ground running. Our goal is very clear — we want construction to commence this construction season. Period. No questions about it.” When the tender was initially set the bids received were significantly over budget, so the project was reconsidered as far as design in order to evaluate f there were ways to reduce costs.

When discussing the reissue of the Parsons Creek tender Bhullar explained that “The previous tender came back very significantly over budget and it was so significantly over that we felt the prudent thing to do for tax payers was to look at the design, see if there were any changes that could be made that would allow for a savings in the design and construction of the project, and re-tender it, so that’s what we’ve done,”One hundred beds is a very large facility. It will have a very significant impact for the seniors. This project remains the top priority in the region. This is a critical piece of infrastructure.”