Staff and residents from the two homes pose for a picture after the ribbon cutting. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

A Place To Call Home

Ribbon cut to mark opening of two group homes in P.A.

Oct 18, 2019 | 3:43 PM

Former residents of the Valley View Centre in Moose Jaw are now making Prince Albert their home.

The facility in Moose Jaw provided a home for people with intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Now that it has closed six former residents have settled into two group homes in P.A.

Early Friday afternoon representatives from the City of Prince Albert along with the Government of Saskatchewan came out to cut the ribbon to mark the official opening of the homes, which are located in the city’s northeast. The two facilities are called Harmony Home and Harbour Home.

Jeff Gendron, executive director for Prince Albert Group Homes Society, which operates the two facilities said the group homes are giving residents chances they did not have in their previous circumstances.

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“Coming to a smaller setting in the community, there’s the opportunity to be part of the community and part of normal streams of social life here in town,” he said.

Mayor Greg Dionne with a resident after giving remarks on behalf of the city. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

The group homes provide the people living in them with 24-hour support. These supports range from helping residents who have physical limitations to providing a wide range of other programs some of which see residents going out into the community.

The first residents moved into the homes in January and late April of last year. Gendron said the society practices a good neighbour policy where the organization works to address any concerns people in the neighbourhood may have.

“We respond to them right away,” he said.

So far Gendron said residents are working to adjust to their new lives here in P.A. He remarked a former Valley View resident is really taking well to the new living conditions.

“In all the years they had her there, they had never heard her laugh and she was laughing with the staff here in Harmony Home,” he said.

Residents sit down to eat after the ribbon cutting. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn