Riverview Manor construction to start in Montague soon

A newRiverviewlong-term care facility is in the works for Montague, P.E.I.the government has called for bids on the site preparation and foundation work to replace the nearly 49-year-old structure.

• P.E.I. capital budget unveiled at $78M

• 2 new seniors' homes to be built in Montague, Tyne Valley

Last April, Premier Wade MacLauchlan announced the new 49-bed manor would be built on the site of the old Montague High School.

"This is a first of a couple of packages," said Alan Maynard, director of public works and planning with P.E.I.'s Department of Infrastructure.

The manor should be completed by late 2017, Maynard added, with residents moving in by early 2018.

"Total project cost is in the order of 12-and-a-halfmillion dollars," Maynard said, noting government does not give preference to local contractors.

Like other new seniors' facilities, the layout of the new manor will be household-style, with a small number of seniors sharing communal space, and each having their own bedroom.

Fate of old building

The future of the current Riverview Manor building is up in the air.

"We'll go through a process to see if there's a requirement to keep it in government's inventory, and if not, we'll look to dispose of it in some fashion," said Maynard.

The bidding process opened Friday and will close May 5. Government will issue tenders for further work in midto late May.

A new long-term care facility in Tyne Valley, P.E.I. is also in the works. Maynard said tenders will begin to be posted in the next five to six weeks for that work.