Just open and already full to bursting with applicants: Waiting list forming to get into Heritage Square

By Chris Lewis   |   Vol. 31 No. 52 (March 13 2019)

A new retirement centre in Conception Bay South has already racked up a lengthy waiting list.

For the last 18-months, the people behind the construction of the Heritage Square Retirement Living Centre in Conception Bay South have been working up to one final moment that took place on Tuesday night last week marking the facility’s official opening.
The centre, which is located near the Town Hall in Long Pond, is difficult to miss. The outside colour scheme may remind onlookers of the famous Jellybean Row houses found in downtown St. John’s.

The inside of the building, however, is a completely different story. The facility is decked out in a modern vibe and welcoming environment, sure to please residents as they make the move into the facility.

Heritage Square Retirement Living is a personal care home that can host up to 100 residents at a time, with a total of 87 separate rooms, explained Allison Granter, one of the facility’s administrators.

Granter’s family, the Morgans, have been deeply involved in long-term care facilities in the region for decades, and they were more than happy to get this particular building opened and ready for the public, she said.

“At the ribbon-cutting event, we had approximately 250 people here. We had an open-house the next day, and we saw about 400 people,” said Granter. “Everyone had soup, snacks, and got a tour of the building. It was really well received by the community. People are just so happy to see this here.”

Granter said Heritage Square has seen plenty of interest from those looking to land a spot as a resident. “I’m getting a lot of calls not only from people within (Conception Bay South), but because we’re a growing community with younger families, there’s a lot of people coming from outside CBS because they want to be closer to their family,” she explained. “I think, too, that because our family has been in the care industry for so long, that people know and trust our name. I think that’s a good draw for people as well.”
The facility’s managers are already compiling a lengthy waiting list after seeing their available rooms filled up before the building was even officially open.

That being said, Granter said they are still more than happy to work with prospective residents, provide them with a tour, or work on adding their names to the waiting list.

As a personal care home, Heritage Square provides residents with level-one and, level-two, and level-two enhanced care, aimed at senior citizens who require minimal to moderate assistance with daily activities. The services provided by Heritage Square differ from those in some other assisted-living facilities slightly, in that residents will be provided three meals a day, rather than having to cook from within their rooms.

Residents, who must be approved through Eastern Health before having their residencies approved, can look forward to all of their personal care needs being tended to, as well as plenty of activities throughout the day.

“We’re an asset to not only our seniors here in CBS, but to the community in general. We’re providing approximately 50 jobs, and it’s very important for us to be a part of the community – not just for our residents, but for our staff as well,” Granter said.

“We’re looking forward to being a part of Winterfest, and the Keligrews Soiree, and all that stuff. I think we’re a great asset to the town in that we’ll be providing business to the other local businesses as well. We’re trying to support as much locally as we can.”