Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

A FUTURE GROUP HOME – Last May, the Yukon government bought this property at 22 Wann Rd. (seen from the rear) for just over $1 million to convert into a group home. The planned renovations are forecast to cost another $500,000 to $1 million, the government says.

Renos to new group home estimated up to $1 M

A Liberal cabinet minister has offered some clarification,

By Palak Mangat on October 22, 2018

A Liberal cabinet minister has offered some clarification, shortly after being questioned by the opposition about an indication that the government was looking at replacing a property it had purchased to use as a group home.

That’s the site at 22 Wann Rd., which once served as a bed and breakfast. The government purchased it last May at just over $1 million to convert into a group home.

Highways and Public Works (HPW) Minister Richard Mostyn definitively told reporters after question period last Thursday that no, the government is not in fact looking to replace the structure.

“There’s no replacement,” he said. “This is a replacement of a bed and breakfast with an extended care facility for young adults.”

Mostyn was echoing his statements in the legislature, in which he assured that “we don’t have any intent to replace it at this time.”

The minister had also been asked about it earlier last week in committee of the whole discussions by the Yukon Party.

The party noted that despite Mostyn’s remarks, the government’s tender management system showed a forecast titled “group home replacement at 22 Wann Rd.”

Clarissa Wall, a Department of Health and Social Services spokesperson, offered some clarity this morning.

The Porter Creek site had been purchased in part with the intent of replacing two older buildings in the city’s downtown area, Wall said.

Therefore, the site itself is the group home replacement – and the department is in fact not looking at replacing a $1.1 million building it has just bought.

Rather, the forecast is for renovations and upgrades.

Both she and Oshea Jephson, an HPW spokesperson, assured that there has been no money spent on renovations and upgrades so far – only work related to design.

That was in response to the Yukon Party’s Patti McLeod referencing last Thursday nearly $120,000 that the government had already spent on “various upgrades and renovations to the building.”

As of this morning, the government’s public contract registry shows that the 22 Wann Rd. site has so far seen YG commit to spending a total of $118,631 on contracts related to the group home – including for work like assessments.

Renovations and upgrades have not begun (with the tender itself not set to go out until late October at least, as Mostyn said). Therefore, the figure referenced by McLeod is reflective of the cost of design work, Wall said.

As for a breakdown of that cost: Jephson explained that the $118,631 figure is what the government intends to spend on contracts related to the project (commitments made), with at least one of the agreements leading the government into April 2019.

Of that amount, just over $64,000 has already been spent to date.

Speaking to reporters shortly after question period last Thursday, Mostyn explained the forecast was indeed for renovations and not a replacement. 

“We went out and bought the 22 Wann Rd. property, now we’re in the midst of bringing it up to the national building codes that can actually handle youth.”

The government’s online tender management system shows a forecast, he clarified, that would require renovations to the Porter Creek location and not a full-out replacement.

The home is currently not occupied by youth, but the expected occupancy date is sometime in 2019.

Meanwhile, information about the forecast being for renovations had not come to the minister until after he had left question period Thursday, before meeting with reporters.

That was the explanation Mostyn provided when asked why he did not clarify during question period that it was for renos.

“It’s on the tender forecast system, which is where some of the confusion is,” he added, taking aim at the McLeod’s question Thursday.

“This is again another example of confusion being sought. We’re parsing all sorts of different pieces of information.”

Forecasts, Mostyn later noted, are updated quarterly, and signal the government’s intention.

It was not an actual tender but a forecast that was in question, he explained.

The minister could not speak immediately to what that type of work the government was seeking to be done, and Jephson explained late last week that the full list of works is still being finalized.

The idea is to bring the building up to national building code standards, though, he wrote Friday afternoon.

Those things will “include life safety and operational renovations such as barrier-free accessibility, upgraded fire separation between floors, and a stand-by power generator.”

Assuring that it would not involve work like raising the site, Mostyn added that it’s all in the work of renovating an old B and B.

“We said we’d renovate it. That work is now in progress.”

The minister also commended his colleague, Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost, for arranging for the retrofitting of the bed and breakfast rather than look for an entirely new building.

“This is going to save us a lot of money – it’s another example of the efficiencies we’re trying to find.”

The forecast, meanwhile, estimates the cost of the renovations to come with a price-tag of between $500,000 and $1 million. That’s in addition to the $1.1 million purchase price of the site itself, along with the $118,631 listed on the public contract registry so far.

Mostyn noted that he expects the detailed tender itself to be up by around late October, hoping to know the true cost sometime in late November to early December.

As the Star reported last March, the territory had initially hoped to get youth into the site by the end of this year.

With the tender for renovations not set to go out until at least late this month, renovations expected to begin in November and completed by spring, the expected occupancy date has been pushed back to the spring of 2019 – almost a year after the purchase.

Comments (20)

Up 0 Down 3

Joe on Oct 28, 2018 at 5:16 pm

@sarah...we know you're one of the disgruntled neighbours who didn't get her way so now you're throwing a grade 3 hissy fit and throwing your toys out of the sandbox. Did you ever think that maybe people at YG highways and public works are experts and they did due diligence and cost analysis before the facility was bought? Do you think maybe some experts at YG assessed the suitability of the property and location for its intended use before the facility was bought? Do you think maybe YG management board did a thorough analysis of everything before the facility was purchased?

Up 1 Down 1

Wilf Carter on Oct 27, 2018 at 1:54 pm

Virtually no flat yard. Spending on this is bad public business.

Up 1 Down 1

Wilf Carter on Oct 27, 2018 at 1:48 pm

This is waste of money. Location on top of hill. We paid $950,000 for this. Now we are spending another million to house 10 children.

Up 15 Down 1

Sarah on Oct 26, 2018 at 3:21 pm

WHAT is wrong with this government to have even thought of this property as an option in the first place? It was a favor to a Lib friendly realtor. That is all. Favors. Now back to reality...how about spending some money to get the 5th and Rogers spot up to snuff and BUILDING to accommodate these youth, rather than buying a beautiful EXECUTIVE home and then renovating it. A freaking power generator? Barrier free accessibility? They last government build a freaking group home. It was a ground floor, beautiful unit. THIS IS MULTIPLE FLOORS. Are you going to put in an elevator too? The minister is disgraceful. You could have had a new group home finished by now, considering you are almost halfway through your one term. Time for a shake-up and to bring some thought to the HSS top job.

Up 13 Down 3

Juniper Jackson on Oct 26, 2018 at 9:21 am

It is the Liberal way to throw money at issues without ever having properly vetted them..it's not just here..Ottawa's example of spending is up to 1.5 trillion nation wide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_public_debt.. Could the FN be asked to shoulder some of this financial burden, although, I don't know if any FN will even be occupying the place. I agree with others, that though we should have a facility why did it have to be a Cadillac when a good Ford would have done the trick? The Silver government has never been concerned with the cost of anything.

Up 8 Down 0

C Waits on Oct 25, 2018 at 4:49 pm

Your humble civil servant Director of Child and Family Services is Geraldine MacDonald. It appears she has been here a few years and in spite of what we have learned she remains the Director today.

Up 19 Down 2

Winston Smith on Oct 25, 2018 at 8:45 am

What ever happened to manager of family services Leeanne Kayseas who told the media and us tax payers that kids were never locked out and then the YG's own report tells us it did in fact happen? Is the same Director still directing this?

Up 16 Down 2

Bob on Oct 24, 2018 at 6:54 pm

What a ridiculous waste of Gov/taxpayers money! I understand the need for group homes for all youth that are in care of the Gov, but spending over a million dollars on a home and now more money being spent to bring the house up to code is absolutely mismanagement on the part of our Minister of H&S. Why couldn't this money be investing into a new building, something more practical, a building suitable for group care. A home that will meet the needs of the youth and the staff. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Off Sales directly across the street, rooms with walk in showers and soaker type tubs. I will wait for the inquest!! Obviously people who are making the decisions do not know anything about group care and group homes. Typical H&SS, the blind leading the blind.

Up 34 Down 1

Wendy Ganner on Oct 24, 2018 at 12:54 pm

How come we never hear anything from the Director of Child and Family? Could the paper please provide an in depth interview with the director about the recent issues and about this group home. Would be good to speak with the group home manager also. We need more information from the people making these decisions.
Everyone is being asked to cut money from their budgets so it needs a bit of flushing out to see the necessity of this at this time considering the cost of several ongoing investigations into the actions of this manager and the Director. Also we would like an update on all the investigations ongoing and costing a pretty penny - what's the tally on that so far and how much longer will it take? #accountability

Up 30 Down 2

Mikeylikesit on Oct 24, 2018 at 12:47 pm

...and will someone tell us who the manager of this beauty of a group home is? We need an interview with this manager to tell us all about it. We want to know details.

Up 34 Down 2

jake on Oct 24, 2018 at 8:44 am

This is why heads should role. The mid level bureaucrats that messed this up will probably just be shuffled if not just left alone. And in some cases promoted. How many boondoggles has there been in the last, say, ten years. Sure the Minister takes the heat, but in reality he has little control over what happens below him. That has to change, and we as Yukoners need to get more active in being the guardians of the public purse. Watchdog groups, I believe need to be set up in every community to help with that process.

Up 18 Down 3

Bandit on Oct 24, 2018 at 8:31 am

I am not sure of the multi-resident codes that would apply, I am not familiar with the layout of the home but wasn't this place licensed as a B&B as well as a Daycare? Surely it would have been held to higher standards than a home? And to think that the group homes downtown would even come close to the standards this home was built to.... I call it BS

Up 24 Down 6

Groucho d'North on Oct 23, 2018 at 1:40 pm

What the story does not include is the building code standards are for multi-resident buildings are different than a basic single family residence. Fire codes are more detailed and do cost more money to install. As stated below these short-comings should have been identified prior to purchasing the property so a true and real cost to purchase could be determined. Now it is nickle & dime time.

Up 24 Down 7

moe on Oct 23, 2018 at 12:26 pm

This is sick and if the liberal government elected representatives can't see that, then I don't even know where to start explaining it to them. Patting each other on the back for their 'smart thinking', buying a luxury resort for group home kids, then needing to tear it apart to the tune of another million bucks so it's an appropriate place for group home kids.

All I can imagine is that they have no comprehension of a dollar, that they find it a lot of fun to spend other people's money, and/or that they have friends or donors who were selling the property, doing the hundred thousand dollar 'assessments' and 'plans', and the rebuild.

It stinks and it's going to sink the liberal boat, like it always does. (irresponsible, at best, spending)

Up 14 Down 6

woodcutter on Oct 23, 2018 at 12:12 pm

Million bucks is not what it used to be. A basic house will set aside 400k plus. I know this house, it's huge.

Up 29 Down 3

Groucho d'North on Oct 23, 2018 at 9:59 am

A stand-by power generator? It appears that the government does not have faith in its own energy company...probably for good reason.

Up 26 Down 4

Mr M on Oct 23, 2018 at 7:40 am

Money should have gone to social housing. What renovations need to be done? Did anyone inspect the house and decide if it was worth buying it and the cost of renovations added in? Waste of money.

Up 29 Down 4

My Opinion on Oct 22, 2018 at 11:34 pm

I have personally been in that building. It was amaaaazing. World class place. Marble everywhere, Beautiful walk in showers, large bathrooms in every room. Place to die for and like new. It is huge.

I ask all MLA's to walk through that and ask what is wrong with it that would need a Million to be spent. We wouldn't stay in a place that nice. Look up the reviews on line from when it was operating, and the pictures.
I thought it was outrageous to spend that kind of money and outlandish digs for those kids. Now they will spend a Million more. HOW BAD IS THAT!

Thanks Minister Frost for not being even more outrageous with our money. SJW's My Lord.

Up 32 Down 2

Jim Cleaver on Oct 22, 2018 at 7:17 pm

Renovations of a million dollars on an already overpriced property. A million dollar home that doesn’t meet national building codes? Another couple hundred thousand to prepare for tender? But why are we surprised. These are the same people who spent 400 thousand to renovate the pot store for a year of operation. The sad part is that it’s becoming so common that we are numb to the prices when it comes to government projects.

Up 45 Down 10

Government math on Oct 22, 2018 at 4:07 pm

Housing up to 10 youth for two and a half million plus operating costs. $250.000. Per youth could they have bought them a new house each for that.

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