Plans are underway for a 26-room expansion to St. Pierre Manor, and while details are still being finalized, board members say the dream is alive and growing.
The Manoir St. Pierre / St Pierre Manor project has been in the works for the past five years. The board's desire is for more local, supportive living options for seniors who want to stay in the community they love.
Pierre Gagné, member of the St. Pierre Manor construction committee, says, “The project has been exciting to work on, together with many local community leaders and residents, especially those from St. Pierre Manor.
A Need That’s Been Building
The current Manor has 60 units, built in three phases starting back in 1963. But demand has grown, and for years, members of the community have been eyeing expansion.
“We were landlocked,” Pierre explained. “So three years ago, we bought the old rectory land next to the church, just over an acre. That’s when the dream really started.”
Why expand?
Pierre notes that the gap in care is clear, especially for seniors who need more than independent living but aren’t quite ready for a personal care home.
“There’s nothing here right now for Supportive Living,” said Rolly Gagné, also on the committee. “If someone needs more care, they have to go to Steinbach or St. Anne or even Winnipeg. That’s tough, especially if they speak French and end up in a facility where no one does.”
Supportive Living offers round-the-clock care, including nursing, more than the home care currently provided at the Manor.
“There are people living in our Manor now who need more support than we can offer,” said Pierre. “Some with Alzheimer’s, some just aging and needing more help, but there’s no space.”
What the New Facility Will Include
The proposed new building is a 26-unit, two-story facility, located on the newly acquired rectory land, right in the heart of the village.
“We tried to maximize the land. That’s where we came up with 26 units,” Pierre said. “It’ll be completely separate from the existing Manor, a standalone building.”
The facility will have its own kitchen, nurses’ station, common areas, laundry, and all the features needed to support residents who require daily assistance.
“Bathing areas, a nurse on site 24/7, all of it,” said Rolly. “And it’ll be fully staffed just for that building.”
“And we’re proud of the location,” added Pierre. “It’s beside the museum, near the church, right in the center of town. You can hear the church bells from there. It feels like home.”
Support From the Community
The idea has already sparked interest, and even excitement, from locals.
“After we announced it, we had lots of calls from people wanting to put their names on a list,” said Rolly. “Even though we’re not taking names yet.”
An open house at the end of June brought in 75 visitors, many eager to learn more and express support.
“The feedback was 95 to 98 percent positive,” said Rolly. “People were shocked, in a good way, that we’re planning something like this in St. Pierre.”
Planning & Funding
While they’re still finalizing design plans and costs, planning is already well underway. Much of the credit for moving things forward goes to Dany Robidoux from Eco-West Canada, who has helped the committee navigate funding and sustainability goals.
“This first phase was to plan, assess the needs, and start drawing up a design concept,” Robidoux said. “Now we’re heading into phase two, a feasibility study and cost analysis.”
“We originally thought 16 units would be enough, but the plan evolved. Now we’re at 26, and the goal is to make the building Net Zero, energy efficient, and future-focused.”
Robidoux adds that they’ve received funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) for the first phase and hope to apply for more when applications reopen. The village of St. Pierre has been a big supporter as well.
“Housing was already identified as a key issue for the community,” Robidoux explained. “And we’ve built a strong relationship between Eco-West, the Village, and the Manor Board.”
“We’re about 95% done Phase One,” said Pierre. “The next step is to finalize the design of the facility, figure out Capital and Operating Costs, and then start serious fundraising.”
The board has also created a fundraising subcommittee and brought in external consultants to help guide them through the next steps.
A Personal Mission
For Pierre, Rolly, and many others involved, this project is personal.
“My mom had to go to Winnipeg when she needed more care,” said Pierre. “She wanted to die in the community where she lived her life, but she couldn’t. It takes years off people’s lives when they have to leave their home and language behind.”
“This is important to us,” Rolly added. “We’re fourth-generation here. Our ancestors built this place, and now it’s our turn to make sure it’s ready for the next generation.”
Even Mayor Raymond Maynard added a personal note:
“My mom was a nurse. Caring for the elderly is important to me and to the region. This matters.”
The Road Ahead
No groundbreaking date has been set yet, but the team is hopeful. With most of the initial planning done, they’re getting ready for the heavy lifting of phase two and beyond.
“We don’t want to give people false hope, but we do want to be optimistic and realistic,” said Rolly. “We’re doing the work.”
“We’ve come a long way,” said Pierre. “Now, we just need to finish the job.”
The new Manor addition construction committee and the community of St. Pierre have made it clear: seniors deserve a place where they can live out their final years in comfort, surrounded by their language, their culture, and their community.
And that’s exactly what they’re working to build.