INNISFAIL – Tears were welling up in Connie Huelsman’s eyes as movers were rolling in furniture.
Beside her in the parking lot was Barb Lewis. She was equally in awe of what was happening.
“I am emotional, the same as Barb. It has been a long time coming and to see it actually happening, words just can’t express it,” said Huelsman, board chair of the Parkland Foundation.
After seven years of hoping and waiting, the time has finally come for her and countless others.
On July 16, the new $24.2 million Autumn Grove home for Innisfail and area seniors was finally ready, and on budget, to welcome 62 residents from the old Autumn Glen facility. The total cost of the facility was covered through a provincial and federal government partnership.
“Today is a very emotional day for me. I am very excited for the residents to have a new home here at Autumn Grove,” said Lewis, who has worked at Autumn Glen for the past 33 years, the last five as manager.
She said Autumn Glen residents stayed with family members during the daytime move on July 16, and came back at 6 p.m. to pick up their keys for their brand new living quarters. “The residents deserve this,” said Lewis, adding there are 39 seniors currently on the Autumn Grove waiting list.
“I can’t wait for their reaction when they come tonight. They (residents) will start their new lives here. It’s a new beginning for all of us, absolutely.”
Lewis noted 15 independent living residents from adjacent Poplar Grove Court moved into their new 600 square foot self-contained units a week earlier. She said all 30 self-contained units would be filled by Aug. 1 with seniors moving in from other Parkland Foundation facilities.
“Seventeen of those are couples. I think we are going to stay full for a long time,” said Lewis.
While everything was being moved to the new facility preparations were already starting to officially retire Autumn Glen, which made Lewis even more emotional.
“The old Autumn Glen is like a home to me, so I am going to get very emotional on the day it is torn down,” said Lewis.
The old 59-year-old facility, along with adjacent Poplar Grove Court, is slated for demolition later this summer. The date has not yet been determined.
In the meantime, Innisfailians are proud of the new home for seniors. Mayor Jim Romane and other members recently toured the facility and were left breathless.
“The completion of the new Autumn Grove facility marks a proud and significant moment for the Innisfail community,” said Romane. "We recognize and offer our sincerest appreciation to the many individuals whose tireless work over the years has ultimately helped to transform the undertaking from vision to reality.
"The facility’s construction will help to further address the needs of the community’s senior population, creating further flexibility in being able to age in place here in town," added the mayor.
Compared to the old facility, the new Autumn Grove is breathtaking, both in size and modernization. Lewis said the three-story facility has more than 84,000 square feet of space, compared to 25,000 for Autumn Glen. The single suites for the new facility are almost 400 square feet, twice as large as most of the rooms in the old facility.
The new Autumn Grove features every possible amenity for today’s seniors, including a much larger dining area, a permanent hair salon, a spa room, and several communal rooms for activities, worship and recreation. The facility even has full-time homecare for clients who will no longer have to go to the nearby Innisfail hospital for personal assistance.
And the hallways, always a tight and frustrating problem at Autumn Glen, are three times as wide as previous ones. The facility is also equipped with the most up-to-date mechanical, heating, electrical and water systems, with full-time maintenance staff to ensure everything is running smoothly and safely for residents.
With her personal dream of seeing Innisfail and area seniors finally moving into a long awaited state-of-art residential facility, Huelsman is already planning a new ambitious project for seniors. The future demolition of the old residential facilities will make room for a new dementia wing, which will require millions of dollars of more funding, as well as countless hours of twisting arms in the provincial capital.
“I think you know me well enough that I am not giving up as long as I am on this board,” said Huelsman. “I will continue to lobby for the residents and families in our communities that we serve. We have people we need to take care of.”
