Information bulletin
VCH confirms plans to rebuild Richmond Lions Manor
RICHMOND, BC -- Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) today confirmed it has moved a step closer toward building a new publicly-funded 144-bed care home in Steveston that will help address current and future demand for residential care services in Richmond.
The VCH Board has approved a project plan that paves the way for rezoning discussions with the City of Richmond—as well as community engagement and refinement of project costs—for a new care home at 11771 Fentiman Place, the former site of Richmond Lions Manor.
VCH will also seek partners to help develop a community where adults can age in place on the site. While VCH will operate the residential care beds, other organizations will be invited to submit proposals to add other levels of care, such as independent and/or assisted living.
“I am delighted to see Vancouver Coastal Health is committed to replacing Richmond Lions Manor with a new, purpose-built care facility for seniors,” said John Yap, MLA for Richmond-Steveston. “There is strong support from the community and my fellow Richmond MLAs to build a residential care home on this site and I look forward to doing what I can to help the project move forward.”
The work by VCH will help refine the business plan so it can advance through the provincial capital approval process. Once approved by the Provincial Government, the project would proceed to procurement and construction.
“It’s great to see progress being made towards a new residential care home in Richmond,” said Richmond East MLA Linda Reid. “There is a need for such a facility and the partners involved are committed to getting it built.”
“Residential care ensures the aging and growing population receive quality care in a comfortable environment,” said Richmond Centre MLA Teresa Wat. “I know local residents will be pleased by the news of work continuing towards a new facility.”
“A new purpose-built facility will improve the quality of life and clinical outcomes for individuals throughout Richmond requiring complex residential care,” said Jennifer MacKenzie, Chief Operating Officer for VCH Richmond. “It will be particularly important for those with cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Our hope is to create an aging-in-place campus for seniors with different care needs.”
The original Richmond Lions Manor on Fentiman Place was a seven-storey facility built in 1972. Deterioration of the building and its systems resulted in physical and functional obsolescence, necessitating its closure in 2014 when residents were relocated to Richmond Lions Manor-Bridgeport. The old building was demolished a year later.
The intent of the project is to provide additional residential care beds within Richmond to address current and future residential care needs and enable more appropriate bed utilization within acute care services at Richmond Hospital.
In addition to this project, last year VCH signed two agreements that will add a total of 210 additional new residential care beds in Richmond. The Trellis Group will build and operate a 135-bed facility on the Hamilton Lands in east Richmond that is scheduled to open in 2019. Fraserview, a member of the Kaigo Seniors Living Group, will redevelop and expand by 75 beds. The completion date for that project is 2020.
Vancouver Coastal Health is responsible for the delivery of $3.2 billion in community, hospital and residential care to more than one million people in communities including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Anna Marie D’Angelo
Senior Media Relations Officer
Vancouver Coastal Health
Office: 604.708.5340
Cell: 604.790.4763
E: annamarie.dangelo@vch.ca
