Following an extensive multi-year planning and design process, construction on the new Golden Plough Lodge & Northumberland County Archives and Museum (GPL & NCAM) officially got underway today at a ground breaking ceremony. Anticipated to be built by the fall of 2022, this 203,000 square foot joint facility will be located on Courthouse Road, Cobourg, adjacent to the existing Golden Plough Lodge, on County-owned land.
“Today is the day where we begin bringing this long-held vision to reality,” stated County Warden Bob Sanderson. “The new GPL & NCAM facility will be a place where more seniors get access to the high-quality care they deserve in their own community, and where Northumberland’s rich local history will be preserved and featured for generations to come. It is a wonderful day for our community, and on behalf of County Council we look forward to new milestones achieved as we move forward with this exciting project.”
The new 180-bed Golden Plough Lodge will include a combination of one- and two-bed rooms across six Resident Home Areas, with features designed to ensure resident comfort and safety, promote resident independence and provide for resident privacy. The facility will include:
· fireside lounges
· a café and hair salon
· a greenhouse for agri-therapy
· an auditorium for concerts and resident events
· outdoor courtyards and pathways
The Northumberland County Archives and Museum space has been designed to achieve mandated duties to preserve municipal records while delivering enhanced programming and exhibitions, and increasing access to underrepresented local historical and cultural collections. This facility will include:
· A permanent display about the history of Northumberland County
· An expanded reading room for public research
· A processing & conservation lab
· A quarantine area for new/unprocessed artefacts/documents
· A gallery for community groups to showcase the stories they wish to tell
“The COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced the importance of a modernized home for our residents and staff,” indicates County CAO Jennifer Moore. “The new GPL has been designed from the ground-up to meet the latest government standards for long-term care. This includes everything from updated air exchange systems and fabrication materials that minimize the spread of infection, to specific zones for the movement of food and linens versus waste, and self-containment capacity for each Resident Home Area. Most importantly, it has been designed to look and feel like home. And as we honour the residents who will live in the new GPL with exceptional care and quality facilities, so too will we be honouring our local history with the creation of a new space for NCAM. By pairing these two facilities, Northumberland County is pleased to be developing of an innovative new asset for our community.”
Salter Pilon Architecture Inc. provided the detailed design for this facility and will oversee contract administration for the duration of the project, working closely with Matheson Constructors, who were recently awarded the tender for construction.
This $116 million facility is being built, in part, with funds from the provincial and federal governments:
· Under the modernized funding model, the Province will be investing approximately $4.5 million for up-front construction costs and a construction subsidy of approximately $37 million over the next 25 years, for the long-term care portion of this project. In addition to provincial funding, the Infrastructure Ontario Loan Program is also providing nearly $97 million to help make the Golden Plough project a reality.
· In October, the County announced $432,406 from Canadian Heritage through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) towards establishment of the Archives and Museum space.
For information and updates about this project, including a 3-minute concept virtual tour of the Golden Plough Lodge long-term care home portion of the project, visit Northumberland.ca/GPL_NCAM.
Photo attached
(Left to Right): County Councillor Mandy Martin; Alderville First Nation Chief Dave Mowat; County Councillor Bill Cane; County Warden Bob Sanderson; County Deputy Warden Bob Crate; MPP David Piccini; County Councillor Brian Ostrander; County Councillor Gail Latchford
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
