By Caitlin Brezinski

Emotion and excitement at grand opening

Nov 14, 2014 | 4:34 PM

The grand opening of Pineview Terrace in Prince Albert was celebrated on Friday. The new long-term care facility is able to accommodate 60 private rooms with lift capability divided among five houses. 

“It’s very adaptive to the needs of any individual patient … just enhancing the whole quality of life for these senior citizens,” said Greg Ottenbreit, Rural and Remote Health minister for Saskatchewan.

The original Pineview Terrace opened in 1964 but as the needs of residents changed, the building needed to change.  Ottenbreit said this project is one of the original 13 that were announced in 2009 to replace older long term care facilities. 

The new facility was given $18.2 million from the provincial government and $4.5 million from the city of Prince Albert, surrounding municipalities and private and public stakeholders.

The fundraising committee raised $1.2 million of the $4.5 million goal in 42 days to put towards needs within the building. 

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“It’s very impressive but also indicative of a facility like this, not only the need but the want and the real input of the community and the support of the community,” Ottenbreit said.

One of the major donors present at the opening was Malcom Jenkins. To recognize his donation, the main room in the new Pineview facility, Melba’s Place, is named after his wife who passed away from cancer about four years ago. 

“I was sitting there with a big lump in my throat with tears in my eyes.  It brought back lots of memories,” Jenkins said. 

Melba was on the board of directors for the Victoria Hospital for a number of years and was in and out of the hospital during her illness and helped by the staff there.

“It was an honour, really, to be able to give a tribute in many ways to the folks at the hospital who helped so much,” Jenkins said. “And to make a memory, a permanent memory in a lovely place like this where people come and go with smiles on their faces.”

Mide Seyi-Ajayi, the director of care, starting working in Pineview in June of this year.  He said seeing the residents and their family so happy was a true show of support for him. 

“It just gives me the idea that this is a bigger family,” he said. “It’s just a great sense of community.”

Kathy Thorpe’s father Ron Thorpe has been a resident at the old Pineview building for about two years. She said she and her family all appreciate him moving into a bigger space. 

“He likes his windows and he likes talking to the people,” she said. “It’s homey for him and the other residents.”

Leanne Vansil has worked at Pineview for the last 33 years, since she was 15 years old.  What started as a babysitting job quickly became a full time job and she has been a part of the Pineview family ever since. 

“I never ever had a desire to work anywhere else in the health region,” Vansil said. “Pineview was home to me.”

Her daughter, Nicole Vansil started working at Pineview in May of this year and made the switch over to the new facility. She said she is overwhelmed by the amount of support shown at the opening.    

“It just goes to show how much people care and loved Pineview and wanted to see the residents be able to get a nice brand new amazing building,” she said. 

Leanne said she is close to retiring but plans to continue to work part time as a care aide after retirement. 

“I’m just hoping my daughter will stay.  I told her she has to beat my years so by the time I retire I’ll be close to 35 years,” she said.

People aren’t the only ones enjoying the new space.  Two adopted cats named Max and Ruby also made the move from the old facility.

“They are just such a pleasure to have around,” Leanne said. “The residents love them.”

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