Nine months ago, Ray Prevost, Bonnyville Town councillor and chairperson of the Lakeland Lodge and Housing Board, stood in the dining room of the Bonnylodge to welcome Minister of Municipal Affairs Doug Griffiths, who was in town to announce a $10 million expansion project that would add much-needed rooms to Bonnyville's seniors' housing facilities. This past Thursday, Prevost returned to that same spot, this time for the official sod turning project to kick off the construction phase of the project.
Considering the status of the project was still questionable up until very recently, the sod turning came as a huge relief for Prevost, who has been fighting to increase Bonnyville's seniors' housing capacity for years, as well as the quality of seniors' housing. When the project was tendered and budget estimates came back 25 over budget, Prevost began to worry that the project would not go forward after all. The extra $3 million came through, however, thanks in part to Bonnyville -- Cold Lake MLA Genia Leskiw making herself a “thorn in the side” of Griffiths until the provincial government came up with the needed funds.
This part of the project is only the first phase. A second phase is intended for the Bonnyville area, as well as Cold Lake.
Leskiw spoke at the sod turning ceremony, saying, “Seniors have been vital in building this community, building this great province, and this is our way of showing our thanks to all of you. I am pleased to see the provincial government going towards the funding of unique, innovative housing projects. This $13 million project is one of the several investments we're making in the coming years to update and replace government-owned housing. We plan to invest $260 million into aging facilities and I intend to get a portion of that $260 million.”
In addressing earlier concerns that the project would be cancelled after the tenders came back over budget, she said, “I told you that you just have to be patient and believe in me and it will come true. I worked very hard to make it happen but not on my own. Just like you guys were a thorn in my side, I turned around and was a thorn in the minister's and the deputy ministers'... But it was worth it, fighting on your behalf was worth it. I'm very blessed to represent such great people. I am blessed to not only call you my constituents, but also my friends.”
Municipal leaders from the area attended the ceremony as well, including Ernie Isley, Mayor for the Town of Bonnyville, Ed Rondeau, Reeve for the MD of Bonnyville,
Larry Lofstrand, Mayor for the Village of Glendon, and Craig Copeland, Mayor for the City of Cold Lake. They each brought greetings from their respected municipality and thanked members, both past and present, of the Lakeland Lodge and Housing Board for their work in bringing the project to fruition, particularly Prevost and Leskiw.
Isley likened Provost's single-minded determination to see the project through to a pitbull, saying, “He hasn't let go of this project since I started working with him and that's over six years ago. He wouldn't take no for an answer and when they were successful in finally getting the project tendered and it came in 25 per cent over budget, which is $3 million, I think we have to recognize another pitbull was developed at that point in time. MLA Genia Leskiw took strong ownership of this project and really went to work on it and I think refused to take no for an answer and I'm proud of the performance (she) did on this one as our MLA.”
Rondeau said he had had the opportunity to thank Griffiths for coming through with the other $3 million dollars earlier in the week and Griffiths had said, “Don't thank me, thank your MLA. She wouldn't let go.”
Copeland said, “It's a great day in Bonnyville. I'm excited that you'll get the new building and eventually there will be a new building in Cold Lake, because that's where I'm going to live and Ernie's going to live here and me and him can fight back and forth whenever we're older.”
In his final comments to the gathered crowd, Prevost said, “I'm a little saddened by the fact that some people that were instrumental are not here today.” Those people included past members of the board as well as municipal leaders who had been instrumental in the project's early stages.
“But if you're asking whether I'm happy, damned rights I am. Am I excited? Yes.”
Before heading outside armed with golden shovels to turn the first sod, Prevost enlisted the help of Nan Sanderson, a resident of Bonnylodge due to celebrate her 101st birthday in the coming weeks.
In her closing remarks, Leskiw urged co-operation in helping to see more projects to help seniors through to completion, saying, “We'll continue to make progress in the area of affordable housing, not only through our investments, building literally and figuratively on resources and expertise in our communities. If we put our heads together, if we work together for all seniors in the area, we can make that happen. Building on those partnerships will ensure our communities remain strong.”
