ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Eastern Health announced Monday that a contract has been awarded for alternate accommodations for patients and clients who use the Agnes Cowan and Janeway hostels.
Extended Stay St. John’s, located at 222 Lemarchant Rd. near St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, is expected to begin providing services by mid-October.
According to a news release, Extended Stay St. John’s will lease a minimum of 80 rooms to Eastern Health, maintaining the current number of rooms available at the Agnes Cowan Hostel.
Eastern Health provides accommodations for out-of-town clients at fixed rates, as well as for clients receiving medical treatment/services and their family members. The lease will be in effect for a minimum of three years with the option to renew up to five years. Rates for rooms will remain the same.
“Clients who use the Agnes Cowan and Janeway hostels will experience a seamless transition as there will be no disruption in service for clients who have already booked rooms,” said Ron Johnson, vice-president responsible for corporate services at Eastern Health.
“With this advancement, work will now proceed on preparing the site of the former hostel for the new adult mental health and addictions facility.”
The new accommodations facility at Extended Stay St. John’s will include improvements such as kitchenettes, private washrooms, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi in all rooms and access to laundry services, housekeeping services, communal rooms and parking.
In addition, accessible rooms will also be available.
A shuttle service will be provided from the location of the new hostel to the Health Sciences Centre between 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
The release notes it is the first step in preparing the Health Sciences Centre site for the new adult mental health and addictions facility.
The next step will be to issue a tender later this month for the demolition of the Agnes Cowan Hostel, with demolition expected to take place later this fall.
