Restoration work is still underway at the Stuart Nechako Manor in Vanderhoof, with an expected completion date set for the end of April this year says official.
Eryn Collins, regional manager for media relations and public affairs at Northern Health told the Omineca Express that restoration work at the long-term care facility is continuing, to repair damage caused by a recent sprinkler system rupture.
Restoration at the Manor has been underway since 2018. Current projects at the Manor are near completion, she said.
The recent damage Collins is referring to was caused on Dec. 28 last year where the sprinkler system at the Stuart Nechako Manor went off, “resulting in a significant amount of water being released into rooms in one of the Manor’s four ‘Pods’; affecting the rooms of 10 residents,” she explained.
All the residents affected were safely located to other areas at the Manor. There were no injuries caused due to this event.
Those rooms that got flooded are still under restoration, and residents have been moved into the newly-renovated D-pod unit at the facility, she said.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Last year in April, the facility’s D-pod which is now renovated, had caught fire. Thirty-six residents at the facility were affected and forced out of their beds early morning on April 22, 2019.
Some residents were re-located at the time to either St. John Hospital which is connected to the Manor or to other pods in the long-term care facility.
READ MORE: Fire forces 36 people at Vanderhoof care home to evacuate
Apart from D-pod renovations, Northern Health is also installing a new nurse-call system in the facility. Additionally, the Manor has an upgraded fire alarm system now as well, Collins said.
Mayor Gerry Thiessen told the Omineca Express that the municipal council is concerned about the anxiousness residents at the long-term care home are undergoing, due to the stress of disruptions caused by constant construction and renovation.
“Our seniors have faced major disruptions these past two years and we need assurances from Northern Health, that the Manor will be secure for our seniors,” he said.
He said the stress caused by renovations is “not fair” and that council wants assurances that the building will be fixed, so seniors have a good home in the future.
When asked about how residents have adjusted to break-downs in the building, Collins said, “the sequence of unfortunate facility issues at the Stuart Nechako Manor in recent years has understandably created significant concerns amongst residents of the facility. families and community leaders.”
She said staff on-site and have worked hard to minimize the ongoing impact of ‘remediation’ and renovation work to the facility.
The Manor had been undergoing restoration a year prior to the April fire as well. There was damage at the facility related to ice damming up on the roof resulting in leakage and water damage, Collins said.
This incident required all resident rooms to be repaired from March, 2018 until February 2019. As a result of the restoration, there was a new heat trace on the roof, new eaves trough and down-spots. Additional insulation has also been added to mitigate any further issues, she said.
The long-term care facility was built in 2004. Since 2016, the Manor has received $127,000 for capital equipment purchases. This funding was supported by the Regional Hospital District, foundations and auxiliaries and Northern Health capital funding. A current project to insulate radiant heat panels is entirely funded by the Regional Health District, Collins added.
Aman Parhar
Editor, Vanderhoof Omineca Express
aman.parhar@ominecaexpress.com
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