The new Alexander McDonald Lodge continuing care facility in Dawson City has officially opened.
The new lodge currently has 11 beds, though it can be expanded to 15 beds if needed. It was built to replace the previous, 11-bed facility, which opened in 1970.
“The government of Yukon strives to ensure that Yukoners who require assistance with daily living have access to the quality care they need,” said Premier Darrell Pasloski in a news release.
The new lodge was built beside the Dawson City Community Hospital, and the two facilities will share an emergency back-up generator and food services.
Health and Social Services spokesperson Michelle Boleen said the new lodge currently has seven residents, and there is not a wait list for the beds in Dawson.
The lodge will provide assistance to people who need a higher level of care than can be provided at home.
But as with the old lodge, Boleen said, the facility can only provide the lighest level of care - help with eating and bathing, for instance. Residents with more complex needs will have to move to Whitehorse.
Final construction costs for the new facility are estimated at $11.9 million.