Almost four years later than originally scheduled, Northumberland County has officially opened its new Golden Plough Lodge long-term care home in Cobourg — the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by the county.
County officials, residents, families, staff, project partners, and community representatives gathered for a grand opening ceremony on Thursday morning (August 20).
Residents will move from the existing Golden Plough Lodge into the new home on Sunday, supported by staff, families, volunteers, and a professional health care relocation team.
Located on Courthouse Road beside the existing facility, the new purpose-built long-term care home encompasses 197,000 square feet. It has 180 beds — 29 more than the existing 151-bed home — and is intended to support residents’ dignity, independence, comfort, and quality of life.
Golden Plough Lodge is the only municipally owned and operated long-term care home in Northumberland County and has served local seniors and their families for more than a century.
“This new home feels like a breath of fresh air, with more space, more opportunities, and so much to look forward to,” said Golden Plough Lodge resident council president Brian McLaughlin in a media release. “But what makes it home is the people — the care and friendships from staff, residents and families.”
The home includes a combination of private and semi-private rooms across six resident home areas. Amenities include fireside lounges, a café, a hair salon, a greenhouse for horticultural therapy, an auditorium for concerts and other events, outdoor courtyards and pathways, and a sensory room.
“This new home gives (staff) the environment and resources they need to continue providing the high-quality, resident-centred care our seniors deserve,” said Northumberland County warden Bob Crate. “We are proud to be here for our residents and their families, and proud of the team that will make this new home truly special.”
The province provided $4.49 million in construction grants for the additional beds and has committed an annual construction subsidy of $1.35 million for 25 years.
“Our government is proud to provide essential funding to this new 180-bed home, an important investment in the future of long-term care in our community that will help more local seniors access the care they need close to home,” said Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini.
Alderville First Nation Chief Taynar Simpson noted that some of the First Nation’s “most beloved Elders” are residents of Golden Plough Lodge.
“It is a sacred responsibility that we give our elders the same care they once gave us,” Simpson said. “Looking after the people who raised us isn’t a duty we choose — it’s a responsibility we honour. I’m grateful to see that truth reflected in this new home.”
The long-term care home is part of a 203,000-square-foot facility that also includes the new 6,000-square-foot Northumberland County Archives and Museum.
The museum and archives space will include a permanent exhibit about Northumberland County’s history, an expanded reading room for public research, a processing and conservation laboratory, a quarantine area for newly acquired or unprocessed artifacts and documents, and a gallery where community groups can share local stories. It is scheduled to open to the public on Friday, September 18.
Construction began in December 2020, with the project originally expected to be completed in December 2022. In October 2024, Northumberland County reported the project was 75 per cent complete and had a revised budget of $145 million, up from the original $115 million.
The county attributed the increased cost and delayed completion to pandemic-related construction pressures, including material cost increases, skilled labour shortages, inflation, higher interest rates, and supply-chain disruptions.
The existing Golden Plough Lodge comprises wings constructed between the 1950s and 1980s. According to the county, building assessments determined the facility had reached the end of its useful life and would require extensive structural and mechanical upgrades before it could be used for another purpose.
