The Fair Haven United Church Homes        Faith based Care and Housing for the elderly who are in need

Main  Complex Care  Access & Locations  Board of Directors  Community Partners  Employment  Governance  History  Mission  Newsletter  Picture Gallery  Rentals  Staff  Vision  Volunteer

History  Our story Rev. Hugh Dobson had a concern about the elderly citizens in our communities.  At that time, he was Associate Secretary of the Board of Evangelism and Social Service of the United Church British Columbia Conference.  As such, he was able to share his concern with British Columbia presbyteries and the Conference.  In May 1945, the first step was taken. Others had similar ideas.  The Canadian Memorial United Church Chute Women's Association asked for a 'Home for Elderly Ladies' and the Lay Association asked for 'Retired Church Workers'.  With the participation of many individuals and communities, by June 1946, the go ahead was given.                  Burnaby Cottages A large house was purchased in Vancouver, and in Burnaby the Untied Church already had property on Rumble Street.  The 14 acres had been gifted to the Presbyterian Church by the farmer who owned the land.  His home became "The Girls' Home" on Sussex Street.  Negotiations for part of this acreage for the planned development of cottages got underway and on May 14, 1949, a soil-turning ceremony took place.  Fund raising and allocation of funds got into high gear (and it is till going on - the need is as great now as it was at the beginning).  On May 20, 1950, the Dedication and Official Opening of eight duplex cottages took place and 16 married couples moved in.  'The Fair Haven' was a reality.  In May 1951, the main building on Rumble Street opened for single men and women.  The facilities in Vancouver at 48th Avenue were opened in 1961.  We entered the long term care program funded by the Ministry of Health in 1978 with 69 intermediate care beds in Vancouver and 58 personal care beds in Burnaby.

Burnaby Development

On December 02, 1994, our new 100 bed multi-level care facility was opened replacing the old 58 bed lodge on Rumble Street.  Multi-Level Care means that the building is designed to meet the needs of the frailest, most dependent members of our elderly population, guaranteeing that the resident never has to move, no matter how infirmed they become.  Care was taken to ensure a homelike environment and pleasant surroundings.  One of the programs meets the need of elderly persons with cognitive or memory impairment.  They live in a separate wing designed to accommodate 'wandering', to ensure safety, and decrease anxiety and agitation while maintaining their dignity and respect.  Care is taken to maximize independence and minimize the disability.  Quality of daily living is a goal we strive to attain for all people in our care.

We received a grant from Women's Equality to finish a day care for 12 infants and 25 pre-schoolers located in the Rumble Street level of our facility.  The child day care is run by the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion and opened in January 1997.  We completed our community outreach / chapel area in April of 1998.  Also located at the Rumble Street level are the United Church of Canada, British Columbia Conference offices.

We opened our 55 one bedroom barrier free apartments March 01, 1999.  Our partner in this project was B.C. Housing.  We also received grants from Vancouver Foundation and Real Estate Board.                                                                                 

                                                              Preparing the Vancouver Lodge site

Vancouver Development

We moved into 63 multi-level care beds (stage 1) on July 31, 2002.  The 40 year old 69 LTC bed facility was demolished, 37 MLC beds were completed in 2003.  The new facility has distinct living areas housing 20 residents in each unit.  These areas have their own dining room, lounge and fireplace, TV nook, activity area and spa.  One of these units is a challenging behaviors unit, dedicated to care of residents with various forms of dementia requiring specialized care and programs.

In September 2002, the Victorian Order of Nurses occupied our 49th Avenue level to provide an adult care center and a 12 bed respite care center.  Both of these spaces were specifically designed for those purposes as outreach to the community by the Board of Directors of Fair Haven in fulfillment of our Mission.

Future Plans

We will continue to strive to provide low income housing and have long range strategic plans to replace old buildings with modern facilities that will meet the needs of the elderly as funds become available.