The next phase of fund-raising for a new Estevan Regional Nursing Home has been launched with renewed vigor seeing as how the targeted amount has been reduced by about $6 million.
"Raising $13 to $14 million as a local contribution meant we would probably struggle, but $8 million is feasible and doable," said Don Kindopp, the newly elected chairman of the fund-raising committee who takes over from Jim Pratt, who will remain on the committee.
Kindopp said the committee is working with an estimated cost of $40 million for a nursing home that would have 70 or more beds for seniors who require Level III and IV (intensive) care to replace the existing aging Estevan Regional Nursing Home located on Wellock Road.
"The new funding formula announced by the provincial government is leading to a new outlook," said Kindopp when speaking to The Mercury on Feb. 25.
The previous formula required local communities to raise 35 per cent of the total capital costs for health centres of any description with the rest being covered by provincial funds. The new formula, announced just this past week, will reduce the local commitment to 20 per cent, thus the reference to the $8 million and the $13 to $14 million.
Kindopp and Pratt said the local committee had been using the working figure of $40 million as the estimated cost of a new nursing home in Estevan. That would be for the bare bones construction. Furnishing and equipping the facility would require additional funds.
"I'm not sure if that is a valid number to run with. We will get another estimate later," Kindopp said. But for now, $40 million is the number they're going with as they head out into the community to raise money.
"At the end of November we had our finger on the trigger, ready to launch the drive," said Kindopp. But then the committee was presented with the possibility of a new model for funding, that was being studied at the provincial level. When they learned the pilot project was still being scrutinized, the local committee determined it was time to move forward with the traditional model.
"In my opinion, if wouldn't be fair unless we took a look at it," said Kindopp, referring to the possible new model, But the time lag was going to be too lengthy.
"It might have been a desirable alternative, but it couldn't happen right away, so we decided to move on."
Kindopp said while the committee moves into further fund-raising mode, Sun Country Health Region is working on the needs assessment study to determine just how many nursing home beds should be provided and funded from an operational standpoint. Kindopp said they have an assumption that the number would be at least 70, since that would simply represent a bed-for-bed replacement mandate because there is a large waiting list, the final bed count could be greater.
"But we don't know that. I can't see it being less than what we already have. Sun Country is looking at acute care needs too, as part of the study," Kindopp said.
Pratt said he took over the fund-raising committee reins from interim chairman Eric Pullam over a year ago when the committee first got underway, but now he found himself just too occupied business-wise and community volunteer-wise to perform the chairmanship duties effectively. He said he was pleased to see Kindopp was willing to provide a seamless transition for the position.
"The strength in this committee so far has been the fact we haven't had to rely on just one or two people. Everyone on it is contributing efficiently," said Pratt.
Kindopp said fund-raising for seed financing and preliminary planning for the new ERNH raised about $180,000 with several councils and organizations stepping up to see that this part of the mandate was completed.
Now that the initial work is done, the next step is to seek out what the committee refers to as leadership gifts that are expected to boost the effort to a new level. To help them achieve that goal, the committee has contracted the services of a professional fund-raising company called Network and their representative Michael Petrie.
The leadership gifts funding will be aimed at potentially major contributors and that will be followed by an appeal to those companies and individuals who would fall under the major gifts category, meaning a pledge of between $5,000 and $100,000.
Only after those two drives are complete will the committee step out into the community as a whole to hopefully complete the drive for what should now be $8 to $9 million rather than $13 or $14 million.
Kindopp said that using the recent fund-raising efforts that netted over $7 million for the new Spectra Place event complex as an example, he felt confident the community could respond to the latest need, especially as the multi-year pledges for Spectra Place wind to a conclusion.
He added that until the needs assessment is completed, the exact location for the new nursing home won't be determined, but so far the hands-down favourite suggestion is that it be built as an additional wing at St. Joseph's Hospital. It could exist as a separate entity, but still have easy access to all the hospital's services. There is ample acreage available, probably at a reasonable price, he said.
That would mean the acreage that the current ERNH sits on at the corner of Wellock Road and Highway 47 North, might be available for another development and a potential revenue source for Sun Country, the owners of the facility now.
"I don't know how that all works out, but if that property got on the market, I'm sure it would be considered valuable, it's a great location," Kindopp added.
"The fact that the St. Joseph's group decided to hold on to 40 or more acres that they got to build the original hospital is turning out to be a wise one," said Kindopp, who also serves as chairman of the hospital's board of directors.
"So summing it all up, we stalled for awhile, looking at other funding models and I still say we would have been negligent if we hadn't explored alternatives. But having done that now, we're looking down a three to five-year path that should lead us to a new ERNH," Kindopp said.
"The next phase of fund-raising is underway. The more vocal and more visible community effort will be part of the third-phase and it will be the final push. We expect to get there," said Kindopp in conclusion.
Estevan Regional Nursing Home Committee:
Don Kindopp - chairman
Jim Pratt - immediate past chairman
Tania Andrist - Estevan
Arlene Anderson - Estevan
Ingrid Beahm - Bienfait
Art Beselt - Estevan
Dennis Blackburn - Estevan RM
Dennis Bode - Estevan
Vern Buck - Estevan
Marguerite Gallaway - Estevan
Arnold Jahn - Bienfait
Roy Ludwig- Estevan (City representative)
Susan Moser - Estevan
Normand Poirier - Estevan
Eric Pullam - Estevan
Shirley Thera- Estevan
Kay Wilson - Estevan
