After it was announced there had been another step forward in the long-delayed development of a new Batshaw facility in Beaconsfield, there were questions circulating in local groups on social media from concerned residents.
On Feb. 22, Global News spoke with West Island CIUSSS youth program director Katherine Moxness, who said the plan was to add four more buildings, to the existing two, on the grounds on Elm Avenue.
She said the vision was to make the campus a “village.”
That came as a surprise to some residents.
On Tuesday, Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle confirmed that the original 2013 plans for the Beaconsfield facility always included a total of six buildings, one of which would be an administrative building.
“What is going ahead and being built is the original plans that was presented to the city back in 2013, before I was elected as mayor,” he said.
Moxness also told Global News the Beaconsfield campus will be occupied by youth between the ages of 12 and 18, girls and boys who require structured settings.
There were concerns from residents online that the facility would have closed custody units.
Bourelle reiterated that the Beaconsfield facility will only have open custody units, in addition to three 12-bed open rehabilitation units.
According to the West Island CIUSSS, the plan is to renovate its Dorval building and have all of its closed custody units there. Once the Dorval and Beaconsfield campuses are ready, its Prevost building will shut down.
Bourelle says information sessions will be held by the CIUSSS so that Beaconsfield residents can be kept up to date about the project.
He’s hoping to see that happen sometime this year, though no date has been set as of yet.
The project is now expected to be completed by 2027.