Seniors housing complex opens doors in Fort Liard
Northwest Territories Housing Corporation holds open house for new assisted-living quarters
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 6, 2016
ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
A new assisted-living complex in Fort Liard will see up to eight seniors be able to age in place.
Shane Thompson, front centre, gives a speech at the opening of the senior complex, beside Mike Drake, right, from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Behind them, from, left, are Fort Liard Metis President Ernie McLeod, Fort Liard Mayor Steven Steeves, Acho Dene Koe Chief Harry Deneron and Vera Bertrand. - photo courtesy of Alfred Moses
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The building is a nine-plex, with one room reserved for a caretaker.
Nahendeh MLA Shane Thompson said more than 40 people gathered for the grand opening of the building, which took place the afternoon of Oct. 4. For Thompson, the grand opening was one stop on his tour of the Nahendeh riding, accompanied by Ministers Caroline Cochrane, Alfred Moses and Glen Abernethy.
The new building, he said, is energy-efficient and will have solar panels beside it to offset some electrical costs.
"It's warm, welcoming - we had an opportunity to take a tour of the facility, so it's very much open and a nice place to live," Thompson said.
"It's open for the public so families can feel comfortable their elders will be in there and it will be a safe, secure place."
The building includes a gathering area as well as two units that Thompson refers to as "barrier-free" - meaning they are completely accessible to people who use wheelchairs.
It is the first of its kind for Fort Liard.
The contract for the building was awarded to Arctic Canada Construction Ltd. in August 2014 at a cost of just under $3.8 million, according to the territorial government's contract registry.
On June 7, Cochrane said in the legislative assembly the building is one of five nine-plexes opening across the Northwest Territories. Other buildings will open in Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Fort Good Hope and Whati.
Cochrane added the common areas of the buildings would allow "therapeutic and lifestyle programming" to reach seniors.
At the time, she said the territory had 356 public housing units designated for seniors.
Thompson said the building already has prospective tenants.
"Right now, my understanding is once this place is open there are at least two seniors moving into the place," he said.
"It gives the elders and seniors the dignity to live in an environment they're familiar with."
Thompson said on top of the assistance the building provides the community, it is also a personal win for him to see it open.
When he first decided to run for MLA, one of the topics he campaigned on was the importance of having seniors stay in their communities.
"Then we give them the assistance, the environment where they can still live on their own but there's somebody there to help," he said.
"The big thing to me is making sure we're not moving seniors away from families, friends, and it also ensures our past - which is our foundation, our traditions - still stay in the communities.
"This resource is still there that can be tapped into by family, friends and the schools in the community."
