Public gets a peek at the renovated Riverview Manor

By Ken Johnston
Editor

After several months and more than $400,000.00, the renovations to Riverview Manor, in Rainy River, have been completed!
Last Tuesday the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board (RRDSSAB) held an open house at the manor to let the public see the improvements.
Mayor Deb Ewald was on hand and noted that she and Rainy River Town Council have been working on getting assisted living into Rainy River the past few years and now that is almost a reality.
Ewald who is the Town’s rep. on RRDSSAB, has been reporting that it was in the works for some time. Then this spring work began to modify several units in the manor and add an elevator. With the modifications the next step is to secure funding to provide services needed for assisted living.
Assisted living is for people who are not quite ready to live in Long Term Care facilities but not quite able to be on their own. “It is an in between stage,” said Mayor Ewald. When asked by a resident of Riverview Manor why the town and DSSAB did not choose to modify units at the larger Heritage House facility, Mayor Ewald said, “We had a hard time convincing the government to invest in this. This (being smaller) we hope will be a pilot or test project to prove the need for it (Assisted Living).”
When constructed in 1970s, Riverview had 15 one bedroom apartments. The renovations have seen three one bedroom apartments converted to two bedroom units. Two more one bedroom apartments were also modified to be wheel chair accessible. All of them feature remote control mechanical doors, walk in showers, open concept counters in the kitchen to accommodate walkers, and of course the larger ones offer more space.
With everything complete DSSAB Housing Manager Sandra Weir said that they are now taking applications for the new units. “Prospective tenants will have to fill out an application and qualify for them,” she explained.
While they are taking applicants, DSSAB is expecting to hear any day now from the Northwestern Ontario Local Health Integration Network on whether it will provide ongoing funding for services required by tenants in the new units.
If approved those services will be delivered by the Northwest Independent Living Services Inc. (NILS) Services provided will depend on the needs of each individual tenant. They may include things such as personal care, helping someone get dressed or helping prepare a meal. NILS Exec. Dir. Kristan Miclash said, “We are looking forward to our application being successfully approved.”
In addition to the renovations, modifications and the elevator, Riverview Manor also saw new high rise toilets installed in every suite, energy efficient appliances installed, laundry and common room upgrades, new roofing and balcony improvements done as well. Weir said about $430,000 was spent on bricks and mortar at no cost to local taxpayers. “The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing paid 100% of the cost.” Now they are hopeful that the LHIN will come good for the cost of services.
Weir said that the initial idea for the improvements came from meeting with Rainy River political leaders and identifying needs. “With an aging population and waiting lists to get into long term care, this just seemed to make sense.”