A new long-term care home a step closer in Greater Sudbury despite objections from some residents

The City of Greater Sudbury is one step closer to realizing a new long-term care facility in the Minnow Lake area.

The city's Planning Committee approved the rezoning to permit a long-term care home on a property located off Nottingham Ave., in the Scenic View subdivision off Bancroft Drive.

The development of the facility will require an extension of Nottingham Ave., and municipal water and sewer services will also need to be extended to the property.

Timestone Corporation (owned by Zulich Enterprises Limited) and Extendicare, which operates senior care facilities throughout the country are working toward creating the three-storey, 192 bed facility.

John Zulich is the vice-president of the Timestone Corporation.

He says there are residents in the area who have concerns about what this facility could mean for the neighbourhood.

Some residents wrote letters of concern focussing on increased traffic and blasting.

"The main concern of these citizens are the increase of traffic to and from the long term care facility. These residents believe that the increased traffic will create a serious safety issue for the children living in the this neighbourhood," wrote Diane Deacon, in a letter of concern sent to the city.

Zulich says a traffic study was done, which stated that the impacts to traffic will be minimal, although there will be increases to traffic overall. 

"Virtually none of the Extendicare residents drive and so it'll be solely staff and deliveries going to the building on a daily basis," he said.

"This is a great development in the neighbourhood, I do understand the concerns of the residents of the traffic increase," said Ward 11 councillor, Bill Leduc.

The city is looking at traffic calming solutions to ensure safety in the area.

No residents raised concerns at the public hearing on Monday.

The matter will go to council for a final vote.