Former McKellar Hospital Becomes New
McKellar Place!
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
The familiar large white brick building in Thunder Bay’s Southward which was a hospital for many many years, is now serving a new important purpose. It will become home to over 100 area seniors who will enjoy their own apartment and freedom, yet get several important services such as their meals, have some help with housekeeping say cleaning and help with medications. “There is a shortage of seniors’ apartments in Thunder Bay. McKellar Place will offer a seniors apartment with a sitting room, bedroom and your own bathroom. It has some common sitting areas as well where residents, family and friends can get together. We created 101 apartments and could probably do another 30 as there is one wing we have not renovated yet and part of the top floor,” said Gino Sonego, Partner of Aurora Construction Thunder Bay Limited.
Aurora Construction Thunder Bay Limited was started in 1997 when Sonego and partner Peter McCart were both with Wing Construction. Wing decided to close down their construction business side so Aurora was started in 1997 and they haven’t looked back yet. “It has been
good. There has been some quiet times but overall very positive. Gino does contract and office administration stuff and I look after the estimating of the projects and field supervision,” said with Peter McCart Partner, Aurora. “We wanted a name with a northern flair from the Aurora Borealis and kind of a worldly name. Our first project as a new company was the 48 unit Brookside Manor Condominium on Algoma Street. We had worked with the developer, Robert Zannette before at Wing. “
Aurora has also been kept busy doing the Mariday Suites and Pinecrest on Red River Road, a design build proposal of residences for Lakehead University. “They wanted townhouses and we looked at the property and came up with the idea to do an apartment style residence of 144 beds. In the double cohort year, we were asked to do a second building immediately and built a second building. It was a definite push to get both done,” said Sonego.Other major projects completed by Aurora have been the Midas building which is now a KIA dealership, the new Westfort Library still under construction, a library in Fort Frances, a big renovation to the TB
District Health Unit on Balmoral, renovations at the Dorian Trades building at Confederation College and work at LU in the pool and change rooms area. The company has sub contracted out work to local firm Dysiebick Romana for carpentry work. McKellar Place has been a project that has taken some time to develop for the owner Mr. Habib, but it is in full stream now with
over $5 million renovations in the solid poured concrete structure. “We started looking at the project for Mr. Habib 4 years ago in February 2007 as condominiums. Then it became supportive housing but the project came in over budget but we kept working on it. We got
together with a few of the major sub trades and everyone decided to invest some money to make the building go. Four or five of the major subs are investors. There have been others who have become investors as well, “said Peter McCart. “There was major bank funding, NOHF funding and the LHIN group helped with the project. Everyone came together because there was such a shortage of beds. The city is building a 132 unit shortly but there is a shortage now. It is a big project. On the main floor is the Nurse Practitioner office and there is another wing on the main floor available for rent.”
“ We started work in March of 2010 and received occupancy the middle of October for the first group of people who are slowly moving in. At the end of this month, December, we will be pretty well out of there for our current contract. There are plans to do other units. Mr. Habib’s intention is to start on the 6th floor in the new year and get those other units up and running. Mr. Habib has had hurdles but stayed persistent.” said Gino Sonego.
The McKellar Place project has gone well for Aurora and their team. “We had some unforeseen issues in the demolition and trying to maintain the integrity. We tried to reuse say the plumbing positions for efficiency. Our company has done a lot of renovations in the past and we were confident in what we could do. We made changes as we went along to suit the conditions, “said McCart. “ Most of our sub trades had a good reaction when we finished one floor and saw the nice end product. Once the rooms were finished every one was impressed with the result. We had a good team with a tight schedule and tight budget.”
Aurora is actively bidding other projects for 2011. There will be some huge projects including the court house and the 400 bed seniors’ project coming on stream. “ There will be a couple of $60 million plus projects going on in Thunder Bay for the next few years so it will be a challenge for the trades people. It is a lot of work beside the normal activity. I think it will be a positive year in Thunder Bay. There is talk of the Thunder Bay Country Club project and other condo projects. We are starting to talk about the Fort William Collegiate project for Mr. Habib which may come together,”said Gino Sonego. “I think it is great being entrepreneurs. We may have even stated sooner. When you work for yourself you are making your own decisions on which way you want to go. It has been positive. There are many jobs to do and it has been enjoyable. We have no regrets.”
