Ontario Construction News staff writer
A ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 16 marked expansion of the Ed and Karen Nowak Long-Term Care Home in Cambridge.
The project added a storey to the existing two-storey building to create 108 new spaces on top of 84 existing spaces.
Operated by Fairview Mennonite Homes, the home was upgraded as part of the provincial government’s push to expand and modernize long-term care across Ontario.
“Completing a project of this scale and complexity ahead of schedule and on budget is a true testament to the power of a shared vision and meaningful collaboration with our partners,” Elaine Shantz, president and CEO of Fairview Mennonite Homes Cambridge, said in a statement. “Beyond the bricks and mortar, this expansion transforms lives.”
The provincial government said its construction funding subsidy top-up supported the project.
The expanded home includes six “resident home areas,” each offering a smaller, more familiar living environment for up to 32 residents, with dedicated dining and activity spaces, lounges and bedrooms, the government said.
The home features two secure landscaped courtyards with community spaces and overlooking balconies. It operates as part of a campus of care model that includes a Seniors Active Living Centre and independent living at Fairview for seniors who are active and still able to manage daily activities on their own.
The project will support more than 200 jobs in Waterloo Region, including full-time positions in nursing, personal support work, nutrition services, programming and administration, the province said.
The home is named after a couple remembered for their generosity in the southern Ontario community. Ed Nowak died last August after a prolonged battle with cancer.
“We are pleased to see more modern, high-quality, not-for-profit long-term care beds opening across Ontario,” said Lisa Levin, CEO, AdvantAge Ontario. “These beds will help ease wait-list pressures and ensure more older adults have access to the care and support they need. Not-for-profit providers face unique challenges when building and renewing homes.
“The government’s efforts to explore more flexible approaches to long-term care development are a welcome step forward. We look forward to continuing to work with Minister Kusendova-Bashta and the ministry to unlock more not-for-profit care and preserve valuable long-term care capacity across Ontario.”
