Yukoners get a peek inside the new Whistle Bend continuing care facility

People in Whitehorse got a peek inside the new Whistle Bend continuing care facility on Wednesday, a few weeks before residents start moving in. 

Hundreds of people lined up to tour the new 150-bed facility — Yukon's largest-ever capital project — and enjoy a piece of celebratory cake.

The facility has been in the works for years. It was the brainchild of Darrell Pasloski's Yukon Party government, which oversaw the start of construction in 2016.

On Wednesday, it was Pasloski's successor, Premier Sandy Silver — once a critic — who spoke at the opening, saying the $146.6 million facility will contribute to a healthy and vibrant community.

"I'm completely impressed, not only by how beautiful this facility is, but how modern the amenities are as well, and how warm and welcoming the building feels," Silver said.

Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis also spoke, saying the facility has already helped spur growth in the still-developing Whistle Bend neighbourhood.

"I don't think there is another place like it in Canada," Curtis said. "I'm just so proud of everyone that made this shining example of what Yukon is about." 

Whistle Bend Place includes a woodworking studio, a hair salon, indoor and outdoor gardening space, a gym, and devotional facilities. Some of those amenities are still being finished, and landscaping will be done on the grounds next year.

'A little bit uncertain'

Whistle Bend Place had many detractors when it was first proposed as a larger, 300-bed facility. Some local seniors objected to the size, comparing it to a "warehouse." Others felt the Whistle Bend neighbourhood was too far removed from downtown and the hospital.

Internal government documents also showed that some officials questioned the decision to put the facility in Whistle Bend. One official suggested the location would be a "nightmare".

Tim Brady, who toured the facility on Wednesday, admitted he was one of the early skeptics.

"I was really a little bit uncertain. It was hard to get a sense of what Whistle Bend was going to be," he said.

"Now, when you look at the community down here, you can tell this is going to be a sizeable community over the next decade, and this will be a feature, kind of a landmark."

Brian McGovern was also on the tour and also liked what he saw.

"It's pretty impressive. In spite of everything we heard about it in the last months, it looks good, and let's hope it's built on a good foundation," he said.

Beds won't be filled immediately 

The government's goal is to ease some of the demand for long-term care beds at other facilities, including the Whitehorse hospital.

Whistle Bend Place will also make up for the loss of the 47-bed Macaulay Lodge continuing care facility in Whitehorse, which the government plans to close.

But the 150 beds at Whistle Bend Place won't be filled immediately.

"We will take our time," said Karen Chan, Yukon's assistant deputy minister of continuing care.

"We want to take our time so that we can actually spend time with the individuals, and the families. So, we won't be all of sudden opening our doors and putting everybody in at once — it will be very, very, very gradual."

There are also still staff to hire. Chan says there are roughly 250 jobs at Whistle Bend Place, and 180 of those positions have been filled. More than half of those hired are from Yukon, Chan said.

With files from Jackie McKay and George Maratos