2 years after official opening, Fort Good Hope seniors home aims to take occupants in April
CBC
It's been almost two years since a new seniors centre was first set to open in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., but residents hoping to live there will have to keep waiting at least until the spring.
According to N.W.T Housing Minister Paulie Chinna, the occupants likely can't move in until April 2023 — the facility was first set to open on Feb. 16, 2021.
At the time, Chinna, along with Julie Green, the minister responsible for seniors, attended an official opening for the nine-plex, but no seniors ever took residence.
In June 2021, Housing NWT spokesperson Cara Bryant said that an early inspection provided "preliminary approval for occupancy," but that a later pre-occupancy inspection from the fire marshal's office identified issues with fire protection, signage and exiting.
Bryant said at the time that the centre would open "by end of summer."
In the 2021 fall session of the N.W.T. Legislative Assembly, Chinna said the seniors centre was on track to open in March 2022.
Now, Chinna says Housing NWT "is aiming for April 1, 2023."
She announced the new tenative date while responding to questions in the Legislative Assembly on Oct. 26.
Ernest Cotchilly, 84, is one of the seniors set to move in.
He said he only wants to move in to the new facility once it's safe and passes inspection but that he's tired of his neighbours' partying.
"I want to move right away and get rid of those people that are drinking around here and fighting and all that," he said. "I'd like to get out of here as soon as I can."
He said the nine-plex will be better since it's supposed to have a security guard.
In an email, Housing NWT spokesperson Tami Johnson said that before seniors can move in, the building requires construction involving "architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical work."
Johnson said that includes completing fire separation between suites, installing ventilation, plumbing systems, fire alarms and exit lighting.
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