Cassellholme construction on time, on budget, North Bay officials say

It's a project more than a decade in the making.

If you live in North Bay, you might have noticed the construction crews at the Cassellholme long-term care facility on Olive Street.

Redevelopment work has been underway since the spring. The soil has been turned. Crews and diggers are on site. Cassellholme CEO Jamie Lowery said Tuesday he couldn't be happier with the progress.

"It'll be a very proud moment for the administration, the residents and the families here at Cassellholme," Lowery said.

The project's first phase is slated for completion in two years. At that point, some residents will be moved so the next tear down can take place.

"It will really help the community because we'll take people from Eastholme and Water's Edge and give them that specialized care," Lowery said.

He said the $122 million rebuild is on budget and on time. It will see a refurbishing of the current 240 beds alongside 24 new ones.

It will also include a unit specialized in advanced stage dementia and an Indigenous-based unit.

 "The Indigenous unit will consist of Nipissing First Nation. They'll be managing those beds," Lowery said.

"They'll be working nation-to-nation and I think it's the first of its kind in Ontario, if not Canada."

The long-term care home's board of management found a $1.2 dollar surplus in its latest operating budget. It plans to use $400,000 to purchase new furnishings and equipment for the facility while giving $100,000 back to the member municipalities.

"For example the City of North Bay will receive just under $80,000 of that money," said Mark King, Cassellholme's vice-chair of the board of management.