The delays on the official opening of the new Prescott and Russell (PR) Residence has prompted some questions.

During an August 26 review of the latest financial update report for the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR), Mayor Mike Tarnowski of Russell Township asked UCPR administration for more details about a “red flag” notice on the opening plans for the new Prescott and Russell Residence on Spence Street in Hawkesbury. The new retirement and long-term care facility was supposed to open in Spring 2024 but a number of delays in construction and other areas have occurred to postpone both the official opening of the facility and the relocation of tenants from the current Residence located on Cartier Boulevard.

Chief Administrator Stephane Parisien told council that the new Residence now has its occupancy permit from the Town of Hawkesbury. But opening of the facility and moving the tenants in is still delayed because the provincial Ministry of Long Term Care is still not satisfied with the facility’s “nurse alert call” system. The ministry has given the UCPR another three weeks to make the nurse alert call system compliant with ministry demands.

Parisien gave council “an educational guess” that the new PR Residence should be open for its tenants by the end of November “at the latest, or possibly earlier.”

Administration will provide UCPR council with continuing updates on progress with getting a more definite opening date for the facility. The UCPR social services department is working on the logistics plan now for relocating all tenants of the Cartier Boulevard facility to their new homes in the Spence Street facility.

“We will also get you (mayors) a look (inside) at the new facility before everyone else,” said Parisien.