After years of efforts behind the scenes, Creighton appears close to having a full-time group home for people with intellectual disabilities.
Discussions between Creighton town council, the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) and an Ontario-based Christian nonprofit show that the three will combine to operate a home in Creighton, starting as early as next year.
According to correspondence from a SHC consultant sent to Creighton council, final changes to the building specifications are likely to be completed later this month, with a week of final review set to take place after that. Tenders for the building’s construction and some operation will go out at the end of the month, according to current schedules, with bidders proposing their own schedules for construction.
If all goes well, SHC estimates that a group home could begin operation in Creighton as soon as spring 2024.
The home will be located near Collins Avenue in Creighton and was first talked about by town councillors back in 2019, with small steps being taken between then and now to move the project along. Efforts to build a group home slowed down during the pandemic, but did not stop completely.
“It’s going to be, hopefully, built in this upcoming year. Tenders are going out in the next couple of months. When it’s built, there will be a number of residents going in there, there’ll be employees going in to work with them,” said Creighton Mayor Bruce Fidler.
“I think over the next few months, they’re going to start working on all that stuff.”
The Town of Creighton spoke last month with representatives from Ontario-based charity group Christian Horizons - two representatives from the organization held a delegation with council members before their Jan. 25 meeting. In an email to The Reminder, representatives from Christian Horizons did not provide a formal comment, but did confirm that they would be providing services in Creighton relating to a new group home in the community.
“It’s a nonprofit organization, a charitable organization that will be working in the group home,” said alderman Anita Rainville.
“It’s going to be in Creighton, run by this group, funded through an entity of social services,” added Fidler.
“It's just part of our community now - they purchased a lot and stuff like that. It’s something that’s being worked on for a long time, to get something here.”
“We’re happy to see them here,” added alderman Darren Grant.
The model for a group home in Creighton, as discussed by council, would be similar in scope to the model used across the provincial border by Norman Community Services in Flin Flon - the organization has been caring for people with intellectual abilities in Flin Flon for over 40 years, some of whom live in a home it owns and operates.
