After trimming construction costs by $97,000, the Kimberley Special Care Home Society is ready to begin work on its intermediate care facility on September 1.
Norm Thomas, chairman of the Society, said Wednesday the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has given its unofficial approval to the Special Care Home mortgage and Fabco Construction of Kimberley is ready to start work September 1.
The CMHC has been the major stumbling block for the Home during the past several months.
The B.C. director of the CMHC had told the Society the federal agency would not even look at the Society's application for a mortgage until a minimum of $100,000 was cut from Fabco's tender of $947,250 on the project.
After rejecting a suggestion by CMHC that the building be put to retender, a meeting between the architect, the Society and the contractor resulted in the original tender being reduced to $850,300.
Although the building will now be without air conditioning, carpeting and an inside sprinkling 'system, at least it will be built.
"The local fire department is not happy (about the removal of the sprinkling system)," Thomas said, "but it was a question of making cuts or losing the building so we really had no choice."
To compensate for the lack of a sprinkling system,the building will have a fire wall, smoke detectors and more fire exits.
Ducts will be built into the walls so in future a refrigeration unit can easily be put in to provide air conditioning at a minimum of expense, Thomas said.
And the Rotary Club will be approached to raise money to buy the carpetting so, as Thomas said, "it's not quite as serious as it sounds."
As soon as the building opens on its three acre site adjacent to the hospital, its four double rooms and 32 single rooms will all be occupied and the Home will have a waiting list of eight.
Staff for the Home will include a full-time registered nurse who will also act as matron, four personal care aides, three housekeeping aides, two cooks, a part-time maintenance man and a full-time secretary.
As well as the CMHC mortgage on 55 per cent of the capital costs, financing is coming from the provincial government in a grant to cover 35 per cent of the capital costs, architects fees, land, landscaping, and some fixed equipment.
Donations amounting to $77,000 from the community will be used to reduce the mortgage.
As well as a federal grant of 10 per cent, the city of Kimberley has donated $25,000 to be used to purchase the land from Cominco and Crestbrook Forest Industries has promised a donation of $5,000. Thomas says Cominco has also said it will make a donation.
Several donations from individuals have also contributed significantly to the project. Joe Frodyma, now deceased, made a $5,000 donation and Thomas said there have been three donations of $1,000 each from pensioners in the community.
Pledges by individuals bring in about $1,000 a month. This money and hopefully more donations in future will be used to furnish the rooms including the dining room, sitting room and some smaller recreation areas.
Thomas says the Society doesn't anticipate any problems in furnishing the rooms, the cost of which is not covered in any of the federal or provincial grants.
"Once people see the building actually started they will start helping out."
Fabco estimates the building will take about eight months to complete with opening slated for late spring.
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