Construction of province's largest long-term care facility underway.

With a $34-million budget, the F.J. Davey home for the aged is expected to be one of the largest long-term care facility developments in the province.

Construction of a new 370-bed long-term care facility in Sault Ste. Marie is well underway, says Gordon Mezzomo, architects' engineer for MGP Architect Engineer.

The 225,000-square-foot facility is being constructed on a 20-acre parcel of land on the existing 70-acre site, adjacent to the Sault Area Hospital. There are 12 residential home areas (RHA) within the building, each containing approximately 32 beds. The core of the building will have a main entrance, chapel, hairdressing salon, multi-purpose rooms and administration offices on the top floor.

The first phase consisting of in-ground services, site and foundation work was completed by April, says Eric Reinelt, site superintendent for Man-Shield Construction in the northwestern Ontario division. Phase 2, developing the foundation and the rest of the infrastructure including landscaping, is well underway. About 150 workers are on the site, Reinelt explains. A few specialty workers have been hired, but a majority of the employees are from the local area, Reinelt says. March 2004 is the expected opening.