Wing Kei acquires land, continues its growth
Care centre for seniors run by non-profit begins construction on second phase
Donald Jung died last year, but his contributions to this city continue with the growth of the Wing Kei Nursing Home Association.
Jung came to Calgary in 1960, where he worked as a mechanic. He later owned eight gas stations, convenience stores and other commercial properties. Always involved in service to the Chinese Pentecostal Church, Jung and his friend, Vincent Leung, dreamed of building a home for Chinese seniors. By 1996, they had formed a society and their dream was realized with the building of Wing Kei Villa at Bethany Care.
Almost a decade later, the Wing Kei Care Centre opened on the site of a former PetroCanada station on Centre Street North. By fall 2014, the first phase of a second project, Wing Kei Greenview, opened on 35th Avenue N.E. near Edmonton Trail.
On a recent tour with Leung, the association’s chairman, and Kathy Tam, CEO of the Wing Kei association since 2007, Bird Construction crews were working on the second phase.
Wing Kei has acquired the three-acre west campus of Centre Street Church, its original building on Centre Street and 41st Avenue N.E. Leung said the site allows Wing Kei to live up to its five-year strategic plan for developing seniors’ communities.
The site — comprised of three parcels of land — will be leased to Centre Street Church over the next three years while its main campus is expanded. Wing Kei plans to build its next seniors’ facility on one acre, and is considering a market-driven building on the other two acres.
Wing Kei is a publicly funded, not-for-profit organization focused on providing holistic and culturally appropriate care. It welcomes seniors referred by Alberta Health Services regardless of religious or ethnic background.
By 2018, it’s expected more than 320 seniors will call Wing Kei home prior to the construction of a new facility on the church lands.
A tour of the Greenview site found residents have use of a garden, greenhouse, chapel, craft and exercise rooms, and dining area where they linger to socialize.
Within the next 20 years, Calgary expects its population of seniors to double — including frail seniors and persons living with dementia — which will certainly be a challenge for those running facilities to care for them. Wing Kei is well prepared for the task in expanding its building programs, while broadening its expertise and scope of services beyond the Chinese community. Brazil’s oil and gas industry is going through sweeping reforms, including a number of regulatory and technical changes aimed at boosting onshore exploration and production activity. The Canadian Council for the Americas Alberta is offering an opportunity to hear from Brazilian government officials and specialists at a morning event Aug. 1 at the Bow Valley Club.