A 200-bed long-term care facility that is planned in Abbotsford – adjacent to the existing Maplewood House – is one step closer to final approval.
The proposal from Fraser Health received initial approval from council on Tuesday (March 11) for rezoning and an amendment to the Official Community Plan (OCP).
The matter now goes to a public hearing at a later date before being considered by council for final approval.
A staff report to council indicates that in addition to 200 beds, the proposal at 1911 and 1919 Jackson St. includes a 32-space day program for older adults, a childcare facility for 49 kids, and 192 parking spots.
The single-storey childcare facility would front Jackson Street, and the six-storey care facility would be located south of Maplewood House, a single-storey long-term care home with 78 beds.
An amendment to the OCP is required to predesignate the property from “Urban 1 – Midrise” – which allows multi-storey residential buildings of up to six levels – to “Health Campus,” which permits medical, health and residential care and commercial uses.
Rezoning is required from the Assembly Zone to the Health Campus Zone.
In a letter to the city, Fraser Health said the project is sorely needed for the area, with the number of people over 75 in the region expected to grow by 42 per cent – to 215,000 – from 2023 to 2030.
That number is excepted to grow by 78 per cent – to 270,00 people – by 2035, the agency stated.
“The prevalence of disability increases with age and, consequently, the need for complex long-term care. Therefore, Fraser Health needs long-term care beds to meet future capacity demand and population growth,” the letter states.
Mayor Ross Siemens said he’s happy to see the proposal move to the next stage.
“I know it has to go to public hearing, but this is those extended-care beds that can’t be built soon enough, and I think it is an answer to some of the challenges that we’re facing because a lot of the beds in the hospital right now are plugged with people that need to be moved on to longer term care,” he said.
