HALIFAX – The future of Grandeur Estates, an assisted living facility in Hammonds Plains is unclear, as the facility faces being shut down.
The facility provides 24-hour care to seniors, but a bylaw infraction and zoning issue means that care may no longer be available.
“They’re making it look much worse than what it is. They’re receiving exceptional care that they would not get in a nursing home,” said Valerie Coolen, whose mother lives at the home.
The main problem facing residents is that the building isn’t zoned for a long term care facility.
“We had confirmation last December that seniors could live in a home like this, in R1 zoning, at least 4 or 5 people,” said John Havill, who owns the building and property Grandeur Estates is located on.
The operator of Grandeur Estates would not do an interview and not confirm how many seniors currently live at the facility. The zoning issue isn’t something people knew about when they moved family members in.
“This was on the list of the private places. So if the hospital is giving you the name, it should be good. I would assume that,” said Arlene Aucoin, whose mother and father both reside at the facility.
The city also says a recent fire inspection noticed a number of things, including no sprinkler system. Because of this, some residents were told they would have to go.
The residents could be removed from the housing facility using ambulances on Thursday if other arrangements aren’t made.
That’s a decision that isn’t sitting well with family members.
“If an ambulance drives in here on Thursday and takes my mother away. I could lose her. I could totally lose her (trying) to put her in an ambulance and drive her off the street… Sorry. I don’t know who’s even deciding this,” said Norma Gerogiannis, whose mother has lived at the facility for the past seven months.
Those who have family members at Grandeur Estates say the facility is safe, and would rather have their loved ones there than at a nursing home, despite the building not meeting all fire regulations.
“Even with a sprinkler system if there is a major, unfortunate situation, like a fire, they’re not going to get everyone out either and that’s the truth of it and even in a hospital they’re not going too,” Coolen says.
Matt Whitman, the areas councillor says this whole situation could have been avoided.
“This is frustrating because if they talked to us about the zoning and how many residents in advance, these residents wouldn’t be in the situation they’re in.”
Whitman says he’s hopeful a solution can be found before the Thursday deadline.
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