August 9, 2021
Fort McMurray’s new Willow Square Continuing Care Centre offers 108 single, private occupant rooms, including 36 for long-term care and palliative care and 72 for supportive living. An additional 36 spaces on the third floor are shelled for future development.
More facility images and information can be viewed in the above video.
Story by Logan Clow | Photo credit: Wood Buffalo Media Group
Increased access to continuing care is now available to residents in the Wood Buffalo Region with the opening of Alberta Health Services’ Willow Square Continuing Care Centre.
The community celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 25 attended by Premier Jason Kenney, Health Minister Tyler Shandro, Minister of Infrastructure Prasad Panda. As well, local dignitaries joined Murray Crawford (AHS Senior Operating Officer, Fort McMurray) and Gregory Cummings (Chief Zone Officer, AHS North Zone) at the event.
“This modern facility provides residents in the Fort McMurray region a continuing care facility that will meet their present and changing residential and medical needs, and a place where they can call home, while remaining near loved ones,” says Cummings.
“We are extremely excited to welcome residents to Willow Square, and into their new home.”
Willow Square, located at 6 Hospital Street, opened with 108 single, private occupant rooms — 36 for long-term care and palliative care and 72 for supportive living. An additional 36 spaces on the third floor are shelled for later development to address future capacity.
Each resident room offers accessible bathrooms, which feature individual zero-threshold showers.
“We welcome our Willow Square residents to their new home. Our priority will be to provide safe, compassionate and comfortable care to our residents,” says Crawford.
Willow Square offers:
“Willow Square incorporates the highest standard of thoughtful design. This includes natural light, pathways and gardens, and several common areas — including a courtyard, library, cafe, chapel and multi-purpose rooms — for residents to spend quality time with their loved ones,” adds Crawford.
Building construction began in March 2018. AHS was granted possession of Willow Square in January 2021 and immediately began a six-month commissioning phase to prepare the facility for opening.
During the commissioning phase, AHS worked to ensure the building, medical systems and healthcare teams were fully prepared to provide safe and quality care to patients prior to opening the facility. This work also included a clinical clean of the entire building, the installation of furniture and equipment, and training staff to use the new medical equipment systems and building systems.
“Willow Square provides a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment for residents who require supportive living,” adds Darline Reid, Manager, Seniors Health, Area 10. “We are committed to ensuring our residents receive the care and support they need to maintain an active and fulfilling life.”
Willow Square officially opened on June 23 by welcoming 39 residents from the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre’s (NLRHC) continuing care unit. The residents took part in a celebratory outdoor parade as they made their way from the hospital to Willow Square. Residents were welcomed by their family and loved ones, as well as AHS staff.
“I liked the parade. It was lots of fun. It was nice to have people cheer me on and welcome me to my new home,” says Frank Gibot, a Willow Square resident.
Willow Square is also a special place for Gibot. In 1987, he lived in a home on the property of the existing site.
“It’s special for me to be living back in the same area. This has turned out to be a really nice facility. I like it here. I like the fireplaces in the lobby — and I really like my room,” adds Gibot.
Raymond Ledouceur, another Willow Square resident who moved here from the NLRHC’s continuing care unit, says he’s also enjoying his new home.
“Everyone treats me good here – I couldn’t ask to be treated better. I really like it here. I like my room and the scenery here. It already feels like home,” he says.
AHS is currently working and planning to repurpose the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre’s continuing care space to meet identified health priorities.
Over July, additional residents moved in to Willow Square.
