*Editor's Note - This story has been updated to reflect a response received from MLA Scott Cyr, and clarification from the City of Cold Lake
COLD LAKE - On Sept. 10, City of Cold Lake council revisited the elevator maintenance issue at Points West Living, which had reportedly left residents without elevator access for two weeks.
First raised during the Aug. 28 regular council meeting, council discussed the response received from Points West Living on Sept. 10, which confirmed that despite the inconvenience, the facility was operating in compliance with all regulatory requirements.
Lakeland This Week also previously heard from Points West Living, stating the elevator was operational as of Aug. 22.
The discussion originally came about after concerns were raised by residents and families about the safety and convenience of the facility, particularly with the elevator maintenance issues.
Council wrote to Points West Living and Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr, expressing concerns and seeking solutions.
“The City of Cold Lake has received a response from the Point West Living Connecting Care representative. The letter that we sent was actually both to Connecting Care and to the MLA. We haven't received a response back from the MLA,” said the city’s CAO Kevin Nagoya, on Sept. 10. “The position of Connecting Care was that the facility is operating in compliance to the legislation and to the acts that are relevant to their business.”
Along with complying with regulations, Points West Living expressed a willingness to improve accessibility by considering the installation of a stair lift. However, this project would require additional funding, potentially through community fundraising or government grants, Nagoya said.
Council members then debated whether to get involved further.
Coun. Chris Vining expressed his satisfaction with the information provided, stating, “I’d just be happy to accept it as information from Connecting Care. I don’t know if there’s much more, but we’ve clarified where they’re at... I’m not sure if we need to continue now on this one or not.”
Coun. Vicky Lefebvre echoed Vining's statement, saying, “Ditto to what Coun. Vining said. I think we’ve done what they requested us to do in the letter, to do the advocating on their behalf, to let them know and bring awareness to the subject. So, I think we can just accept this as information.”
Mayor Craig Copeland proposed further exploring the option of installing a stairlift to help residents access the lower floor, acknowledging it could alleviate some of the difficulties experienced by those on the upper level.
Council made a motion to postpone further action, deciding to wait for a response from MLA Cyr. They agreed to continue monitoring the situation but left open the possibility of supporting a stairlift project if it became a viable option.
MLA Cyr reached out to Lakeland this Week to clarify that he had, in fact, sent a response letter to the City of Cold Lake after the original article regarding the issues was published in early September.
Megan Beaudoin, communications coordinator for the City of Cold Lake, confirmed that the City has received MLA Cyr's letter and appreciates his response. She noted that while there can be delays in bringing correspondence to council agendas, administration is working to gather all relevant information, including Cyr’s response, for a full discussion on the issue.
Cyr says he responded a day after receiving correspondence from the City in late August.
“In my response, I acknowledged the residents' concerns about the elevator outages and outlined our efforts, including contact with Alberta Health Services to advocate for the residents,” Cyr told Lakeland This Week. “Additionally, I forwarded the concerns raised by both the residents and the City to the relevant ministries to ensure they are fully informed.”
Cyr acknowledged the elevator outage at Points West Living, stating he received a response from the facility on Aug. 30, which outlined their contingency plans.
He confirmed that their emergency preparedness protocols were followed, with collaboration from EMS and the Fire Department to ensure resident safety.
“It’s important to note that the elevator issue was resolved before my office received the City’s letter,” said Cyr, explaining that the delay in the repair was due to backordered parts.
Cyr expressed pride in Cold Lake's three long-term care providers - Points West (private), Lakeland Lodge and Housing (not-for-profit), and AHS Long-term Care (public).
He thanked the staff for their dedication to residents, acknowledging that while concerns may arise, these facilities aim to address them quickly and effectively.
