A 237-bed complex care facility being planned for Port Coquitlam's Dominion Triangle cleared another hurdle Monday night.
The project, which is being put forward by Baltic Properties and funded by the Fraser Health Authority, will increase the number of care beds in the community for seniors suffering from dementia and other ailments.
Coun. Mike Forrest, chair of the city's smart growth committee, said he supports the project and noted that it will likely bring many well-paying jobs into the municipality.
"I think we in committee and at council generally have been quite enthusiastic about this," he said. "It is a good development in my opinion."
But some residents had issues with the proposal, according to Forrest.
He told council that several people called him with concerns over the fact that the facility will have 26 beds dedicated to people suffering from mental health and addiction issues.
Will McKay, a managing partner with Baltic Properties, a proponent of the project, gave assurances to council the facility would not create any issues in the neighbourhood. He said during the meeting that the entire facility is locked down and divided into sections, depending on the types of care needed. The mental health section, he added, will be separated from the rest of the facility.
McKay also noted that staff at the facility are open to engagement with the surrounding neighbourhood.
"We have to have a strong link with the community," he told council. "If things do go wrong, if we hear of people getting out and disrupting the area, we encourage the communication back to management so we can deal with that at the facility level."
The institutional care facility funded by Fraser Health is just one aspect of the development taking place at 770 Dominion Ave. The property will also be home to two large light-industrial facilities, which are being proposed by real estate developer Harmony Ventures.
Council is expected to consider fourth reading of the rezoning application for the care facility at its next meeting.
