The addition of two new accessible bathrooms will make life more comfortable for residents of Hillsview Acres.

The province provided $98,000 to build one new washroom upstairs and one downstairs.

Region of Queens met in-camera at their last meeting to consider a $158,000 tender from Rikjak construction to complete the work.

Mayor Darlene Norman says council made the unusual move of rejecting the request for proposals bid, opting instead to complete the renovations using municipal staff.

“It could be a mixture of in-house people. It could be a mixture of sourcing it out to various sub-contractors but it basically means that we now take the lead,” said Norman.

Staff did a review and determined the renovations could be completed internally for a cost much closer to the $98,000 allocated by the province.

“Adam Grant, Director of Engineering and Works will take the lead on that and it may not all be done in-house but we will find a way to get that done,” said Norman.

The provincial government also recently announced spending of $96.5 million to either upgrade or replace several long-term care homes across Nova Scotia.

Health Minister Zach Churchill told QCCR it is “quite likely” both Queens Manor and Hillsview Acres will be replaced under this funding.

The washrooms will make Hillsview Acres more comfortable for residents while the new building is completed.

Norman says there is no timetable for the washrooms to be built but she would like to have it done as quickly as possible as there are currently eight residents sharing one washroom.

She says despite the fact the building is scheduled to be replaced it still needs to be livable in the meantime.

“It’s people’s homes,” said Norman. “It’s people’s homes.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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