The Town of Drumheller is looking at taking steps to improve Newcastle Beach, in the short term and in the future as part of its flood mitigation plan.

In the short term, the town will be rototilling part of the beach area within the constraints of Alberta Environment to make the beach more suitable for users. In the long term, they are looking at more development in the area.

“In the long term plans as part of our flood mitigation is to actually develop some plazas along the river, where you will have permanent better features,” said CAO  Darryl Drohomerski.

This could include a permanent boat launch away from the recreation area of the beach, trails, picnic areas, and fire pits.

“We are in discussion with the Kinsmen because they are interested in making that a project,” he said. “We have talked loosely about what kind of things we could do that would protect the area,” he said.

The town has made improvements to the area this year including extending one of the ball diamonds making it suitable for more levels of teams to use and have also added a new dog park.

“For this summer it is going to be to do the same thing we have the last few years and clean it up, blade it and then wait until we have a good comprehensive plan about what we are doing with the flood mitigation in that part of the community,” said Drohomerski.

“It is part of the overall part of the plan for flood mitigation and adaptation in the valley. It is around trying to not just protect people but also how do we provide more recreational opportunities,” he said.

“Our project was approved in part because it is flood mitigation and adaptation. It is not just simply saying we are going to build a couple of dykes, but we have to understand we are looking at 50 years down the road, and we did that as part of our submission. What is expected to be the weather patterns and build a dyking and protection system that is built for the future. If you are building it based on the flows you are expecting today,  you lost.”

Alberta Health Services is expanding its continuing care options at the Drumheller Health Centre by redesignating eight long-term beds to supportive living.

The changes will be made this fall to fill the gap in the area’s mix of options.

“This change broadens the options for community members looking for the right level of continuing care. It also improves the way we deliver safe and sustainable care at the Drumheller Health Centre,” says AHS Senior Operating Officer Allan Sinclair.

  He explains these beds will be for individuals who can no longer live safely at home due to complex but predictable medical needs that can be managed with onsite, professional nursing under the direction of a case manager. These beds are designated as Supportive Living 4 (SL4), the highest level of  supportive living care.

The total number of beds remains the same at 96. There are 88 in the long-term care and eight in the Coalbanks (SL4) unit. Sinclair says currently there are SL3 units at the lodges and many long term care beds at the Drumheller Health Centre, but no SL4 in the valley.

“What we’re are working to do is make the ratios of the long term care and SL4 beds a  little more appropriate, because the majority of seniors that are being assessed for care needs these days, the majority or at least 50 per cent are being assessed for that SL4, we need that level of care,” he said.

With the changes, there will not be SL4 –dementia designated beds in the valley.

  According to a press release following the transition, the Drumheller Health Centre will still have 88 long-term care beds for patients with unpredictable complex care needs, as well as four restorative care beds for patients trying to regain independence following illness or injury.

    “The restorative beds have been there for about three years. They are near the acute unit, and are not affected by this. These are for patients that have about a 30-day stay or less, have a need for more intensive therapy and… we have a reasonable expectation that the client is confident, motivated, and will improve over that 30-day span,” said Sinclair.

The number of continuing care spaces overall remains unchanged. No one will have to leave the health facility as a result of this change.

Town Councillor Tom Zariski serves on the Drumheller and District Seniors Foundation which operates the lodges and manors. He told the Mail earlier this year they received a commitment from Alberta Seniors and Housing to build a unit with supportive living.

“The prior government indicated to us they had intentions on building a SL4 facility basically attached to Hillview to the tune of $7 million, prior to the election,” he said.

He has not heard any further details on the plan to build.

He does not see  much change with the redesignation of the beds, as currently, the Drumheller Health Centre serves those with SL4 needs.

“I’m not sure what the difference would be,” he said.

    His question is whether the new SL4  project is off the table.

The Mail has reached out to Alberta Seniors and Housing but has had no response as of press time.