The future of the Grey Gables long-term care home in Markdale remains uncertain.
At its meeting on Feb. 23, Grey County council voted to defer a resolution from Grey Highlands Mayor Paul McQueen to revisit the Grey Gables project to take a look at possible options for the future. McQueen’s resolution (found here on the agenda for the meeting) requested that county council revisit the Grey Gables situation to look at all options for the project, including an addition to the existing building.
In Nov. 2020, the county received 62 additional beds for a proposed Grey Gables expansion. The project was put on hold by county council in August 2021 with members of council being concerned about rising costs as the county faced the re-development of both Grey Gables in Markdale and Rockwood Terrace in Durham.
The Rockwood Terrace project has continued and is working its way through the design process, while Grey Gables has remained in limbo.
McQueen said he was bringing his resolution forward now because new information and funding had emerged in the world of long-term care. He said he was not asking for an ultimate decision on Grey Gables, but rather a staff report outlining the current status that would help inform the nine new members of council elected last year.
“I’m asking for a report to come back with the new information,” said McQueen, who said his biggest concern is the county will lose the bed allocation for Grey Gables if it doesn’t begin planning to use those beds. “The 62 beds allocated to Grey Gables are on a bit of a timer. We may lose those allocated beds, which would be a shame to see. The clock is ticking.”
McQueen’s resolution resulted in a lengthy conversation at the county council tables. Some members of council were supportive of asking for a staff report to outline the current situation with Grey Gables. Others, however, did not want to proceed while the Rockwood Terrace project was still underway.
“We need to focus on getting Rockwood done right and proper,” said Chatsworth Mayor Scott MacKey. “I can’t support moving forward with Grey Gables at this time.”
Southgate Deputy Mayor Barb Dobreen said her biggest concern was the future of the 62 additional beds.
“If we snooze, we might lose,” she said.
McQueen’s resolution made reference to new funding announced by the provincial government to help offset rising construction costs for long-term care projects. The province has made money available for projects ready to start in August 2023. However, county staff said it was a practical impossibility to have a Grey Gables project ready by August in order to access those funds.
CAO Kim Wingrove called it an “insurmountable situation.”
“It wouldn’t be possible,” said Wingrove.
The Blue Mountains Mayor Andrea Matrosovs said the county taking a fresh look at Grey Gables would send a positive message to the provincial government.
“The province can see the optics and buy-in and see we’re still keenly interested in holding on to those 62 beds,” she said. “It’s a reasonable motion. It sends a good message to the province.”
Numerous members of county council expressed their support for Grey Gables, but were reluctant about proceeding with another long-term care redevelopment project while the Rockwood Terrace project is still pending.
Owen Sound Deputy Mayor Scott Greig suggested deferring McQueen’s motion until the county has awarded the tender for Rockwood Terrace. He said at that time the county would have full information about the costs of that project, which would better inform a decision about Grey Gables.
“The ideal time to have the conversation is after we issue the tender,” said Greig.
In response, McQueen said the county needed to provide some clarity to the province on its intentions for the bed allocation for Grey Gables.
“We need to know where we are with the province with these beds. The biggest concern I have is losing those beds,” he said.
Ultimately, Greig’s motion to defer prevailed in a 68-28 recorded vote. McQueen, Matrosovs, Dobreen, Grey Highlands Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen and The Blue Mountains Deputy Mayor Peter Bordignon voted in against the deferral.
