New Terrace Lodge would cost $30-million

Elgin County councillors on Tuesday, Jan. 13, received an architect’s report stating that building a whole new Terrace Lodge long-term care home on the same property as the existing one just outside Aylmer would cost $30-million.

Financing that over 25 years would bring the total cost to $47-million, Financial Services Director Jim Bundschuh said, with the province expected to provide $19-million over that time.

The cost to an average residential property in Elgin would be $70 a year in increased county tax, he said.

Meanwhile, a plan to build a new combined administration building, county museum and archives and provincial offences courtroom has been put on hold.

Instead, county officials are recommending some renovations to the existing administration building.

They’ll also try to get the province to overturn the province’s rejection last year of a request from the county to rent space in the new Wellington Street courthouse in St. Thomas for Elgin’s provincial offences court, despite the building having surplus space at this time.