News release

Sunrise Manor Relocation

Community Services

The Department of Community Services, the Metro Residential Support for Adults Society, and the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority are the major partners in an initiative to provide temporary and then permanent accommodation for 11 residents of Halifax County Regional Rehabilitation Centre.

This initiative will see the 11 residents temporarily relocated to a self-contained unit on the first floor at Sunrise Manor on Gottingen Street in Halifax. At the same time, negotiations are underway to locate a site for a new setting that will provide longer-term specialized accommodations for these residents.

"We are delighted to be at this point in this very ambitious initiative which has been made possible through a number of partnerships with agencies throughout the province," said Community Services Minister Peter Christie. "This latest partnership allows us to continue to provide quality services to the residents being relocated."

The Halifax County Regional Rehabilitation Centre is in the final stages of a five-year closure process. The centre provides an intensive level of rehabilitation and developmental programming to people who are mentally challenged or mentally disabled. There are currently 63 residents remaining after the successful relocation of 70 residents since 1996. Plans are in place for the placement of the remaining residents. Of these, 11 will be relocated to a new congregate care setting.

"This partnership, which provides temporary accommodations for 11 residents, allows us to finalize planning for the specialized programs and services for the new congregate care setting," said Harry McInroy, chair of the Metro Residential Support for Adults Society. "Providing quality short-term and long-term services to our residents has always been the goal of our board."

The Housing Services division of Community Services will oversee the development and construction of the new setting. In the meantime, the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority is making available a portion of the first floor at Sunrise Manor to provide temporary accommodation while the new setting is built.

A self-contained unit with separate entrances will be constructed at Sunrise Manor, a high-rise senior citizens complex with 147 residents. Construction will begin immediately and the unit is expected to be ready by November. A number of staff from the Halifax County Regional Rehabilitation Centre will also be relocated to this temporary unit.

At the same time, improvements will be made to the front entrance of Sunrise Manor and a green space will be developed at the back entrance of the building.

"Through this partnership, improvements to the building will be undertaken which will benefit all residents of Sunrise Manor," said Patricia Lawrence, general manager of the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority. "The Housing Authority looks upon this as an opportunity to partner with Community Services and the Metro Residential Supports for Adults Society to provide temporary homes for the 11 residents of the centre."

This announcement signifies the final phase of the Halifax County Regional Rehabilitation Centre initiative, which represents the largest downsizing and closure process of an adult institutional service for people with disabilities in Nova Scotia.


NOTE TO EDITORS: Background information on the Halifax County Regional Rehabilitation Centre, the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority, and the interim plan is available by e-mailing: release@gov.ns.ca .