Flooded Winnipeg care home will not be habitable until mid-2015

WINNIPEG – Dozens of residents will not be able to head back to their St. Vital nursing home until mid-2015 after an April flood forced its evacuation.

All 86 residents of Golden Links Lodge were temporarily placed in other care homes after the basement of the building was filled with water on April 20th.

READ MORE: Golden Links Lodge care home evacuated due to basement flooding

Officials say the damage was so bad, reconstruction has yet to start.

“It took a lot longer to dry the building,” said Golden Links Lodge board member, Mary Knight.  “The water was within one inch of the ceiling in the basement. Every crawl space in the building was filled with water.  Every single system in the building, destroyed.

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Residents have been told they won’t be able to move back in until May or June 2015.

“It has taken a horrible, horrible amount of time.  It just should not be this long,” said Leo Kirouac.

His mom was moved to Vista Park after she was evacuated from Golden Links Lodge six months ago.  But he says she is one of the lucky ones.  About 66 residents were moved to River Ridge Retirement Centre in East Kildonan.

“That’s a 30 to 45 minute drive,” said Kirouac

Rive Ridge is a private residence, but the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority says its not costing Golden Link residents any more to live there, because they’re paying a different rate.

“The rent we pay is significantly lower,” said Long-Term Care COO, Gina Trinidad.

Reconstruction is estimated to cost about 3.5 million dollars.

Crews are now working to repair and replace the mechanical and electrical infrastructure.  Reconstruction is pegged at 3.5 million dollars although the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority says its no

The work includes:

• replacing a portion of the basement floor;
• re-fire proofing the basement ceiling;
• reconstructing the building weeping tile/drainage system;
• installing new mechanical, air handling, electrical, and electrical backup equipment; and
• reconstructing the entire basement to pre-flood conditions, including a new staff washroom and locker rooms, new laundry rooms, a new elevator and required upgrades, a fire sprinkler rework, new building system controls, new mechanical, electrical and storage rooms, new life safety systems and improvements to resident spaces to improve patient and staff safety.