A seniors' housing centre in Edmonton will break ground for an expansion on Thursday.
The Canterbury Foundation is located in the Laurier Heights neighbourhood. The renovation project will see a new five story addition with 50 larger suites added to the 45-year-old facility.
A new hospice complex with 16 beds and guest rooms for family members as well as a team of care providers to provide specialized programming and support and comfort will be included.
The foundation’s dementia care program will also expand from 20 to 53 spaces.
“It is the 90+ year old who is coming to Canterbury,” Wendy King, the Executive Director of Canterbury Foundation said in a news release. “There are several residents who are living with a form of dementia. We need a space where they feel comfortable and at home, yet in a more controlled environment. Our goal is to develop and expand our dementia program to make a difference in residents’ lives and the lives of their families so we can deliver the promise of home.”
The foundation plans to raise the $31.5 million needed for the project through a community fundraising campaign.
“If we want to be here for the community of Laurier Heights and the rest of Edmonton, we need to do these renovations,” said King. “Without them we will not be able to provide the needed programs for future residents. Many people who live here come from the local community or their family is from the local community and they come here because of how we make them feel. They feel welcomed and cared about. We want to be able to say at the end of the day that we did this with the community. That we did this together. And that the community embraces our residents.”
The foundation is accepting donations for the project on their website.
