Construction has officially begun on the Just Like Home Lodge, which will provide housing for patients and their families travelling to Campbell River for medical care not available in their communities.
On Sept. 10, the Strathcona Regional District, along with partners the Campbell River Hospital Foundation and Seymour Pacific Homes, marked the milestone at the construction site next to the hospital in Campbell River. Government officials, including Mayor Kermit Dahl, North Island MLA Anna Kindy, MP Aaron Gunn, Coun. Ron Kerr, regional district directors and mayors also attended the event.
“The Just Like Home Lodge and Workforce Housing will directly benefit patients, families, and healthcare workers across 32 communities and improve healthcare access for more than 57,000 people in our region," said Mark Baker, SRD board chair. "Today’s groundbreaking is a true celebration of what collaboration and community spirit can achieve.”
The ceremony took place on the traditional unceded territory of the Ligʷiłdax̌ʷ people, beginning with a ground blessing led by Yaxawidi (Shawn Decaire), hereditary chief of the We Wai Kai Nation, and his son, Kye Decaire.
The new facility is set to open next summer with ten private units and washrooms. There will also be a shared kitchen, laundry, a day room and communal living spaces.
In addition to patient housing, the facility will provide workforce housing. This includes 20 rental suites for workforce housing, which range from studio to two-bedroom units.
Baker said these self-contained units will make a real difference in recruiting doctors, nurses, and other essential healthcare professionals and help to alleviate the region's pressing housing shortage.
The regional district called the facility and workforce housing a "transformative investment," which will improve patient care and strengthen the stability of the health-care workforce across the region.
The $2 million in capital costs were raised in partnership with the Campbell River Hospital Foundation. This includes the cost for the building, parking, furnishings, laundry and storage, internet technology, security cameras, and other contingency costs.
For those staying at the facility once it opens, it will cost a modest amount, which is yet to be determined, states the SRD website.
To learn more about the project, visit justlikehomecr.ca.
