he North West Star has reported the following:
THE Laura Johnson Home board has revealed a grand plan to redevelop the aged care facility.
Matt O’Neill, president of the Mount Isa organisation’s board, addressed councillors at their final meeting for the year on Wednesday and gave them an update about the home’s $18.9-million project, which will see high and low care residents relocated to new accommodation.
He said residents were expected to move into new accommodation by March next year and the project was on budget, despite builders finding a large amount of rock on the site.
“We’re constructing a new facility to replace the existing facility,” Mr O’Neill said.
“The existing facility was appropriate when it was constructed but after 30 or 40 years all buildings need to be refreshed and it was no longer meeting the needs of an aged care facility.”
Mr O’Neill said the board had a plan to redevelop the existing facility, which will become vacant when the residents move to the new building.
“We currently have a development application sitting with the council to further upgrade the site to meet the needs of the community over the next 20 or 30 years,” he said.
The plan would include relocating the organisation’s op shop to the home’s site on Lucy Street, a function room, medical allied health rooms, office space, a day respite area and a number of apartments.
Mr O’Neill said the board wanted to offer people a range of options for retirement.
“It’s about choice for people,” he said.
Cr Brett Peterson said the new facility was extremely impressive.
“Any city in the world would be proud to have something of this calibre as an aged care facility,” he said.
Mayor Tony McGrady asked Mr O’Neill if the organisation still had its payroll scheme, which allowed residents to contribute funds from their pay to support the home.
Mr O’Neill said the organisation still had the scheme in place.
Cr McGrady said he would remind council staff about this scheme.
He congratulated Mr O’Neill and the board on the project.