November 16, 2023 · 0 Comments
A 40-year-old long term care facility in Orangeville is about to receive some significant upgrades.
The Ontario government announced a full redevelopment of the Avalon Care Centre on Aug. 28.
The project will bring 23 new and 137 upgraded beds to the community, as well as air conditioning throughout the building, larger common areas for residents, and home-like living spaces. The site will also provide diagnostic services and connections for home care.
“This innovative, expanded facility will reduce local wait times for long term care, ensuring more seniors can stay in the community, close to family and friends,” commented Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post.
According to the Ontario Long Term Care Home Association (OLTCA), there are nearly 40,000 Ontarians on waiting for long-term care – double where the list was at 10 years ago and anticipated to reach 48,000 by 2029.
The reconstruction is anticipated to be completed in the spring of 2026. The Town of Orangeville and project contractors have committed to mitigating vehicular traffic through residential areas, using the current Avalon access whenever possible; however, some construction-related traffic can be anticipated in residential areas nearby.
“The project requires the work of many different trades and brings increased traffic to the area,” commented Tony Dulisse, Orangeville’s manager of transportation and development. “We ask residents for patience as this project – which brings so many benefits to our community – progresses.”
The redevelopment project at Avalon Care Centre has received $82 million in funding from the Ontario government. That funding is part of a $6.4 billion provincial commitment to build over 30,000 new long-term care beds and upgrade 28,000 by 2028.