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Redvers Health Centre by Irwin Rapoport photos courtesy stantec architecture ltd. R esidents moved into the $13.1 million, 21,200-square-foot long-term care residence at the Redvers Health Centre in Redvers, Saskatchewan last summer – a facil- ity built for the Sun Country Health Region by T.L. Penner Construction Inc. and one that was welcomed by the rural community located along the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border. The one-storey structure contains two houses (12 rooms in each) that are linked to a central core, where the liv- ing/dining area can be found. The struc- ture replaces the existing Centennial Haven wing (built in 1967) that is being renovated for a new purpose. "The new wing is designed with more modern standards in terms of width of the doorways and the hallways, and thus more wheelchair accessible," says John Knoch, the Region's VP of corpo- rate services and finance. "Lifts have been placed in rooms to accommodate those who need assistance to get in and out of bed or with washroom services. We're providing 24/7 coverage and the intensity of nursing care that is required – about two to three hours per day." The residence will be serving peo- ple who live within an hour's drive of the Centre. "It's important because it allows seniors to live in their own com- munity and engage in community activi- ties, and for family members to have an opportunity to visit," says Knoch, who stresses that a home-like atmosphere was essential and hence the Eden Con- cept was integral to the design. "This allows for more engagement than a typical long-term care facility. It makes for a less institutionalized setting and as close to 'home-like' as possible given the challenges that certain people face." The wing has its own kitchen, mod- ern amenities such as overhead lifts, individual shower areas, a hairdressing salon and private family rooms, as well as a variety of programs. It is linked to the health centre, which provides a third access for visitors and staff. The wing was designed by the Regina office of Stantec Architecture Ltd. Architect Greg Woitas, a Stantec senior associate and project manager, describes the wing as being an L-shaped building with straight lines, surrounded by green space on both sides. The two entrances, with small lobbies, provide access to each house via a walkway linked to a path that follows the east side of the residence. Each house has a dormer with win- dows that bring additional natural light into the living/dining space, as well as a dormer above the entrances, which are only a few feet way from each other. On either side of the entrances is a trellis (wood) patio and a covered patio area with an open-air pavilion that is acces- sible from the main activity area. Each room has a large rectangular window. "We wanted to maximize the natural light that the residents could receive and the same applies for the central core," says Woitas, "but we also paid attention to energy savings. We shadowed LEED and picked and chose points from the LEED checklist that we thought we could attain. Our emphasis was to try to save energy as best we could." The roof consists of prefinished standing seam metal panels, while the exterior walls are clad in terracotta and warm beige-coloured acrylic stucco that covers R20 insulation and wind- loaded steel studs. "This was important to ensure the project could be built on budget," says Woitas. The living/dining area was designed to maximize the sense of community for the residents and provide places for visitors to be comfortable when visiting. "The individual rooms are fairly large and can accommodate three to four visitors in reasonable comfort," Woitas adds. The interior finishes and materials wer e s ele c t e d t o me e t hy g iene a nd clea n ing s t a nda rd s for such facilities. The f loorings consist of a sheet vinyl that has a wood grain pattern – "it looks pretty natural for a vinyl product," says Woitas, "and it brings a nice warm feeling and a natural feel to the space. We used dry- wall in the resident rooms and acoustic tile in the common areas to reduce the amount of noise. We're satisfied with the way the project turned out and the residents and our client are very happy with it. You can't ask for better then that." "There are always challenges on a project of this complexity," says Brett Cameron, T. L. Penner's project manager, " but by maintaining good relation- ships with the owners and consultants, they have been effectively resolved. We always learn a lot from each project and use those lessons to better serve our current and future customers." Cameron's crew completed t he new wing in June 2013, and will complete renovations to the health centre in April. n Location 18 Eichhorst Street, Redvers, Saskatchewan owner/DeveLoper Sun Country Health Region architect Stantec Architecture Ltd. generaL contractor T. L. Penner Construction Inc. structuraL/MechanicaL/ eLectricaL/civiL/LanDscape consuLtants Stantec Consulting Ltd. totaL area 21,200 square feet totaL cost $13.1 million April 2014 /69 St. Joseph's Healthcare West 5th Campus redvers Health Centre p66-69_StJosephes-Redvers.indd 69 14-04-03 9:09 AM