Plans for a condominium project in the town of Didsbury have been scrapped in favour of the construction of an Isabella Homes palliative care centre which will serve the community and surrounding rural area.
“The Town of Didsbury approached us and said ‘This project has not gone anywhere, would you be interested in building one of your homes here?’,” said Brad Fillo, chief executive of Desert Architecture Inc.
The project was announced at an open house on Monday evening.
The state-of-the-art 300 bed facility, on the former proposed site of Heritage Crossings, will support patients in Living Stages Three and Four, seniors who require more consistent and day-to-day support than the average retirement home offers.
“What we’re bringing here will be very beneficial to the community and surrounding areas,” said Fillo.“It’s a beautiful town and we’re looking forward to becoming a part of it.”
The centre will allow members longtime residents of the town to remain in Disbury in their final years.
“You can maintain as much as your life as you had up to that point and then, when it gets to the point where you are no longer able to look after yourself, you just move down the street. Same neighbours, same people, same services, and you get to see the town that benefited from your work as well. You helped build this town and you get to live your last years in it.”
Construction of the Isabella Homes palliative care centre is expected to bring service and trades jobs to the community. Once open, the centre will provide medical, paramedical, administrative and support staff employment opportunities for Didsbury residents
Desert Architecture Inc. has provided the Town of Didsbury with construction and engineering plans. Once approved, groundbreaking will commence on the privately funded project.
Didsbury is located approximately 60 kilometres north of Calgary.
