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Well over 100 Peace Village residents, community members and project supporters overflowed the Haven community room for a grand opening on Sunday fittingly with the rainy weather lightened up during the ceremony.
The Haven, a $6.6 million project is an addition in senior housing and is connected to both Peace Villa and The Harbor.  In addition to three songs by the Harbor Handbells Choir, attendees also heard from various people involved in the Haven project at various stages of its development.

Peace Village Board President Curt Wilson welcome attendees, sharing the longtime effort of members of the board to develop The Haven that started back in 2011 when Peace Village staff shared the importance of extended care to keep residents in the community by providing 37 units, with 25 units of assisted living and 12 units of memory care.
Wilson thanked both USDA Rural Development and the City of NYA for their support of the project through the community facilities program.

The “beautiful” project will certainly be a great addition to the community according to Mayor Tina Diedrick.
“It’s been a pleasure to partner for this project,” she said. “It’s such a wonderful project and it’s such a need in our community to keep our seniors here in town.”

Colleen Landkamer, the state director for USDA Rural Development, who presented a certificate of appreciation signed by President Obama, said the project fits well within the goals of the USDA to make sure community have what they need in order to move forward and be vibrant.

“People can stay in their community and be with their friends and family as they move through their life,” she said. “USDA is proud that we can be partners. $6.6 million is a great investment in NYA and the people in this region who live and work here.”

Pam Klingfus the regional director of Shoreview-based Ecumen, which will manage the Haven, said she was excited to celebrate the opening of the Haven.  “Although we are large and we are growing our roots and our commitment is in Minnesota semi-rural areas,” she said. “I’m so pleased to be part of this campus and I’m so proud of the staff that are here.”

Above all, Peace Villa Housing Manager Brenda Schmitz and Harbor Manager Lori Hilgers shared their efforts and others including Sari Anne Olson of Rajala Designs and site manager Shawn Robinson in making The Haven a home for the residents.

Two Haven residents were scheduled to move in right after the open house and the plan is to have two people move in per week with an ongoing wait list for the units still available. The assisted living units will be the first to open and the memory care is expected to open in middle of June.

In terms of staffing, Harbor Manager Laurie Hilgers said that 12 people have been brought on but more could be added in the future for the memory care. “We’re looking forward to many more years of doing what the Harbor did in a bigger stand,” she said. “We really live by the fact we want to see the community provide for those seniors so they don’t have to move out of the community. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Encouraging attendees and community to enjoy tours of the Haven, Hilgers and Peace Villa Housing Manager Brenda Schmitz shared their efforts and others including Sari Anne Olson of Rajala Designs and site manager Shawn Robinson in making The Haven a home for the residents. “We wanted to make the building feel like home so hopefully when you walk through the door that’s what you feel,” said Schmitz.

For more information, call 952-467-3692 or visit www.peacevillagenya.org and www.ecumen.org.