YARMOUTH, N.S. – Three years after the new Villa Saint-Joseph du Lac opened its doors to residents, part of the old long-term care facility is being torn down.
The demolition, which began May 15, is being done by a New Glasgow company and the work is expected to take between 30 and 60 days, said Rick Atkinson, the Villa’s administrator.
Coming down are old resident rooms, as well as the Villa’s old kitchen and dining room.
The great hall, chapel and turret from the old building are being kept.
“It is hoped that we will be able to continue refurbishing of the great hall and chapel and the turret in the very near future,” Atkinson said.
The new Villa – built on the same property in Dayton as the old one – opened in the summer of 2015.
The demolition, which was delayed due to a number of factors, is a continuation of the project that saw the new Villa open three years ago, Atkinson said.
The cost of the demolition was covered in the original project, he said.
The plan is to use the turret of the old building for office space.
As for the area that will be left vacant once the demolition is finished and all the debris is cleared away, it will be green space or a parking area or a combination of both.
The old Villa used to house the Lakeside Inn, a Canadian Pacific-owned hotel that was built in the early 1930s. The building was sold in 1960 and turned into a long-term care facility.
The new Villa’s 79 resident rooms are divided into six sections or “villas.” The room total remained the same, but the new rooms are all private.
The facility is full and there is a waiting list of people looking to get in.
Read more about the history of Villa St. Joseph du Lac by clicking here.
