Rockwood Terrace redevelopment takes a step forward with approval of sitework tender

The new and expanded Rockwood Terrace long-term care home in Durham is taking another step towards construction. Grey County Council has awarded the early-works tender to JT Excavating Ltd to prepare the site for the significant new build scheduled for 2024-2026. Early works include leveling the property, servicing the site with water, sanitary sewer and stormwater infrastructure to meet current and future needs, and creating new roadways around the project site. The works have been designed in collaboration with the Municipality of West Grey and costs will be shared with Grey County paying approximately $2,575,000 and West Grey contributing $700,000.

“The Rockwood Terrace project continues to move steadily forward. This is a huge investment that will benefit Grey County residents for decades to come. I’m excited we will soon see action on the site after years of discussion, consultation, and thoughtful design,” said Grey County Warden Brian Milne.

Grey County and the Municipality of West Grey are working together to ensure the new infrastructure can support future growth on neighbouring properties. Grey County is responsible for the costs of pre-construction work to support the Rockwood Terrace build. Additional costs for work beyond the build are the responsibility of the Municipality of West Grey. West Grey will consider their portion of the tender at a meeting on September 5.

Early works will be completed in two phases. Phase one will prepare the site for the general contractor and is expected to last from mid-September 2023 until May 2024. The second phase will take place after the building construction and will focus on pavement and sidewalks around the site.

The site has been inspected to ensure there are no species at risk living on the property.

Three bids were received during the tendering process. JT Excavating Ltd. submitted the lowest qualified bid for a total cost of $3,226,345 plus HST, which fell within the estimated cost of the project.

The current Rockwood Terrace long-term care home is reaching the end of its operating license and must be redeveloped to meet current ministry requirements. County Council voted to rebuild the home in Durham south of the current site and expand the number of long-term care beds from 100 to 128. The resident experience is the focus of all planning for the new state-of-the-art facility, with room design, community feeling, dining room experience and infection control as the key design principles.

“The new Rockwood Terrace is designed around the people who will call it home. We’re not building a healthcare facility, we’re building a community where residents feel at home and have access to the important nursing and personal care services they need,” said Jennifer Cornell, Director of Long-Term Care.

Grey County will release a construction tender for a general contractor this fall. Pre-qualifications are currently underway. Construction of the home is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2024 and will run until the summer of 2026.

Redevelopment costs are currently estimated at $96.7 million. Actual project costs won’t be known until construction tenders have been awarded. The project capital costs will be funded over 25 years through a combination of provincial funding, Grey County reserves, and tax levy. The provincial government will pay for approximately 30% of the costs through an annual transfer over 25 years.

Updates about the Rockwood Terrace redevelopment project can be found on the Grey County website www.grey.ca/rockwood-redevelopment.

Aerial Image of the Project Area

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For media inquiries contact Rob Hatten, communications manager, at rob.hatten [at] grey.ca (rob[dot]hatten[at]grey[dot]ca) or call 519-373-1592.