finally broke ground in September 2024. Project construction started in the first quarter of 2025 with the pouring of footings and foundations, and construction is expected to take about two and a half years and with a target date to open of July 1, 2027. The project will include 40 care units with 24-7 care, 16 lodge units and 18 life lease units. The care and lodge units will be managed by Covenant Health as a care and services provider. The unit mix was arrived at after extensive consultations with the community. What was learned through that process is that people wanted to be able to stay in their community as they aged and their needs evolved, and that’s what this project will allow. People in rural Central Alberta want to stay in their community as long as they can. THC’s collaborators on the project include Arcadis as the architect, and Shunda Consulting & Construction Management Ltd. as the construction management and builder. Arcadis is an international firm, and THC has been working with their office in Calgary. Shunda is a local Red Deer company with a lot of experience working in rural Central Alberta. “Shunda is a builder that knows the community, and they have a lot of talent from rural Central Alberta in their workforce,” Sam says. “Those are the kinds of companies we like to work with, for multiple reasons. Not only do they understand the area, but they also don’t have to travel so far and make use of local supplies and labour whenever possible. We find that when people have to travel from the big city an hour and a half to a small MAY 2025
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