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The construction of the Pimicikamak health center is nearing completion

Just three months after construction began, the once-famous Balmoral Hotel is fast approaching completion as a new health resort. With the goal of being a home away from home for medical appointments for northern and isolated First Nation members in Winnipeg.

Since purchasing it last November, crews have been working around the clock to transform the former hotel into what it looks like today.

Two floors of the building have been completed and in less than a month, all 45 rooms in the newly named Pimicikamak Health Center will be available and ready to welcome people who need a safe place to stay in the center of the city.

“We saw the potential and you know we saw that we could do it well,” said Kam Khaira, co-owner of Pimicikamak Wellness Center.

“The structure has been very strong, so we've had little changes over three months that were like night and day.”

A photo of the ongoing construction work inside the Pimicikamak Health Center. (Photo credit: Kurt Black, CityNews)

According to Khaira, he and his partners decided that Balmoral was the perfect place to open a wellness center close to the health center and are committed to making sure that every visitor is treated with the respect they deserve.

“They are already sick and they come here for treatment, so it's our job to make them comfortable,” Khaira explained.

Desiree McIvor, spokeswoman for the wellness center, says the goal of the facility is to offer a safe space for recovery, which she says is needed more than ever.

“It's a home away from home for our guests, especially if their first need is medical treatment,” McIvor said.

“We want to ensure that members of the local community, all members of the community, that this is a safe, clean, inclusive space for everyone to come in and get the treatment they deserve.”

Picture inside the Pimicikamak health center. (Photo credit: Kurt Black, CityNews)

McIvor, who also works with 1JustCity, says the nonprofit will soon open a drop-in center in the basement that will offer meals and programs focused on local residents. There are also plans to open a kindergarten in the building, to turn the beer seller into a clinic and a pharmacy.

“It's a comprehensive program where we can take care of our guests' physical health, as well as their spiritual, emotional and mental health, so they can have all of their needs met in one building.”

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