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Study complete soon Birchwood de-centralization? By Ken Lusk The News There have been many rumours lately about the fate of Terrace Bay's Birchwood Terrace. Tom Gash, administrator for the Thunder Bay District Homes for the Aged, has assured The News that residents do not have to 'pack up and leave' Birchwood Terrace. Gash said the board of man- agement of the Thunder Bay Homes for the Aged. commenced its Master Plan back in November of 1986 to assess the existing facilities at Birchwood to see if they meet the present and future needs of the seniors. He said the plan is being for- mulated "in response to the needs of the seniors in the district given the ideal of the local service capa- bility." The plan and the new homes will "concur with the needs of (present and) potential con- sumers." ; The outcome of the study will probably advise to de-centralize the service (from just one home in Terrace Bay and one in Thunder Bay). The idea here is that many people have to go far from the town they have lived in for a long time to receive the kind of care Birchwood and Pinewood (Thunder Bay) offer. The plan, in part, is looking at whether something can. be done to offer these services in people's hometowns instead of having -those people travel many miles to get the services elsewhere. Gash said the,study (Master Plan) will be completed by this November. When it is completed, it will be presented to the board for dis- ~ 4 cussion. BELLUZ Box 715 Terrace Bay Ontario POT 2Wo e 3 j 2 A Lyn Hodder Sales Representative 1-807-824-3429 Realty Ltd. Simcoe Plaza Not designed to meet needs Pinewood Court in Thunder Bay was built in 1968 and cannot meet the present and future needs of seniors. Birchwood Terrace was built in the '40s, and from step one, was not designed as a home for the aged. It used to be a motor howl Birchwood and Pinewood are strictly residential care homes, meaning the residents can basi- cally look after themselves. They only need minimal per- sonal assistance with some sup- port (less than one and-a-half hours of care per day). The residents are "here for other reasons than health," Gash said. Birchwood has the capability for 62 residents. There are now 38 living there. Level of care changes "People are not prepared to travel to receive care," said Gash. If people don't have a place like Birchwood in their home- town, they will try to tie-in to local support services, he said. Gash said he and Project Manager Betty Chalmers have talked to seniors, met with clubs, potential users of homes for the aged and present residents during the study. The study is looking at down- sized versions of Birchwood which would probably be 20-bed units. : There would be one each in Terrace Bay, Nipigon and Geraldton. Pinewood in Thunder Bay would be updated to meet today's needs of seniors. These towns have been chosen because each already has an acute treatment hospital and community services, These new units would be designed "to accommodate) the needs of seniors; barrier-free access and wheelchair accessi- ble," Gash said. The new units would be mod- eled around being wheelchair- accessible. Gash said this is a must. In 1968, Pinewood had three wheelchairs; now 39 of the 75 residents use them. The homes just do not. meet the present (and future) needs of residents, he said. Board of Management The board of management of the Thunder Bay Homes for the Aged consists of representatives from 17 municipalities in the Thunder Bay district. Five members represent those municipalities and there are two provincial appointments to the board. continued on page 7 EX tk SUPERIOR SHORELINE- INSURANCE LTD. 825-9492 . 825-9646 The North Shore Insurance Specialists! be Vol. 42, gal Suctitnpumniomene Wednesday;November 4,1987. 35¢ Economic development discusse. By Ken Lusk The News Terrace Bay Deputy Clerk- Treasurer Lorne Mitchell told council at the Oct. 26 Terrace Bay council meeting about the idea of an economic development com- mittee being formed. Council is split on how quick- ly this idea should be followed through . Mitchell said that even though he is looking at Terrace Bay's economic situation from a rela- tive-newcomer's eyes, he has seen rapid changes brought about by quick industrial growth in the past, which has had both negative and positive impacts. "Future economic develop- _ ment, he said, could be a benefit _ to small business growth within the community." Terrace Bay has had "some tough times in the business area," said Mitchell. There could be "some problems down the line." On the good side, he sees Minnova Inc. as good for Terrace Bay. The committee he talked of would be informed about what effect that company's (and K-C's) present and future plans will have on the town. Committee mandate Mitchell's discussion about the committee's formation touched ee } This motley. crue of ghosts and goblins assembled at St. Martin School last week to pose for a picture for the News. The next night the ghastly creatures were let loose Motley Crue night. on the streets of Terrace Bay and Schreiber. No reports have yet been . received on the havoc they reeked that upon the fact that it could work at arms length with council in an advisory capacity. The committee would work on a mandate with strong tie-ins with Kimberly-Clark and Minnova Inc. Mitchell said the committee (and an economic development officer if necessary) could help Terrace Bay to be "viable, to expand and to grow. He said a committee could put the town in a position of being "ahead of a (bad) storm. "I'm asking permission of council to get volunteers for a committee (that could formulate) "a mandate and game plan." Access to financial assistance could be found, he said, that would help the committee carry through with the mandate at no high cost and in a relatively-short time. A percentage of the funding would come from the govern- ment. To tree or not to tree Terrace Bay Reeve Ollie Chapman said that at the last council meeting, Counc. Houston was saying the trees around here won't hold out much longer and that Counc. Ramsay was saying they will hold out for years. Chapman said she was taken . up in a helicopter recently near Lake Nipigon/Little Jackfish area and the trees are cleared out. "It makes you sick," she said. Counc. Ramsay said council should ask Kimberly-Clark just how long the tree supply will hold out. "It's my understanding that '>. there .will. be 'trees. for our grand- children. "I heard K-C is prepared to cut into the '90s, and then to start again where they started back in the '40s," said Ramsay. "I hope the mill is viable for many years," said Counc. Houston. Ramsay, as he stated at the last council meeting, is worried that once the government money runs out that helps municipalities with economic development, the town will be put into a dilemma. "We have to watch these things," he said. "Personally, eco- nomic development people have not impressed me." Reeve Chapman said econom- ic development works well, very well in some places. "I would like to know where," ~Ramsay told her. Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Mitchell said the right people in the job can get the job done. "If you want to sell used. cars, you need used car salesmen," he said. "10 years ago you could say I will retire with Kimberly-Clark, but times are changing fast." Dead against What started as a discussion about the economic development of Terrace Bay turned into a dis- cussion about who should be looking into development. Councillor Chris Joubert was "dead against" Mitchell's proposal that night. "It is not Lorne's position (to suggest it). It's a political posi- tion. It is not Lome's job to look _ See page §