An Observatory old-age home’s frail and elderly residents are to be relocated because the building is no longer safe for them to stay in.
Arcadia Place is run by the non-profit Cape Peninsula Organisation for the Aged (CPOA) and is home to 166 residents.
Built in 1957, the 60-year-old building has been found to pose a “health and safety hazard” and will be demolished and rebuilt.
“The building has fallen into a state of disrepair – it’s dilapidated, and we decided to rather just demolish and rebuild Arcadia Place,” said Ingrid Jacobs, head of sales and social work at CPOA.
“We are constructing a completely new building with some new features and the building could even end up accommodating more people than now.”
Construction on the new building is expected to start in 2019.
“Our residents were informed in December 2017. A meeting with the residents and their families took place on February 1, where they were informed about relocating.”
Arcadia Place -with 120 single and double rooms and a 46-bed frail-care unit – is regarded as one of CPOA’s more affordable residences and is close to public-transport routes, shops and another amenities.
Ms Jacobs said the CPOA assured all Acacia Place residents that they would find “secure accommodation” at its other facilities.
The land has been subdivided; one half of the original plot will be sold and the new Acadia Place will be built on the other.
Observatory resident Elise Henderson, who has made friends with some of the home’s residents, said it was “tragic” that it was closing and the residents were being moved elsewhere.
“There will be many people affected by this move. Some of my good friends live at the facility, and it will be sad to see them leaving the facility and area. Most of them are frail, so we don’t even know if they will ever come back.”
“The building has fallen into a state of disrepair – it’s dilapidated, and we decided to rather just demolish and rebuild Arcadia Place,” said Ingrid Jacobs, head of sales and social work at CPOA.
“We are constructing a completely new building with some new features and the building could even end up accommodating more people than now.”
Construction on the new building is expected to start in 2019.
“Our residents were informed in December 2017. A meeting with the residents and their families took place on February 1, where they were informed about relocating.”
Arcadia Place – with 120 single and double rooms and a 46-bed frail-care unit – is regarded as one of CPOA’s more affordable residences and is close to public-transport routes, shops and another amenities.
Ms Jacobs said the CPOA assured all Acacia Place residents that they would find “secure accommodation” at its other facilities.
The land has been subdivided; one half of the original plot will be sold and the new Acadia Place will be built on the other.
Observatory resident Elise Henderson, who has made friends with some of the home’s residents, said it was “tragic” that it was closing and the residents were being moved elsewhere.
“There will be many people affected by this move. Some of my good friends live at the facility, and it will be sad to see them leaving the facility and area. Most of them are frail, so we don’t even know if they will ever come back.”