With several issues currently ongoing, a new health care foundation is looking to revamp a facility in Watson.

The Quill Plains Health Care Foundation received charitable status in April, and now they are turning attention to their first project.

Built in 1967, the Quill Plains Centennial Lodge and Health Centre in Watson is in need of a facelift, according to Foundation Chair Norma Weber.

"Our doorways are very small, our rooms are very small, and it is very worn. We also have issues with our laundry in the basement," she explained. "Down the road, we are looking to get this east wing replaced."

Weber says that ideally, the laundry room would be installed in the existing renovated east wing when it is complete.

The foundation is currently visiting area communities to help raise awareness on the project. They visited Humboldt City Council on Monday to present information.

Weber estimates that a total cost for the project today would be around $6.2-million. However, they are planning for a few years down the road.

"We are hoping in five years that we would have our facility, with approval in three. That might be a little ambitious, but that is what we are hoping for," she noted. "By then, it would probably be between $7 and $8-million."

Weber says that the current funding standard is to have the communities and municipalities chip in 20% of the project cost, with the remaining 80% coming from the provincial government.

"Our portion, with the $8-million would be about $1.6-million. We feel that if we all pull together like the Humboldt Hospital, we can do this. Of course, the hospital was a much larger project, but we feel it will depend how bad we really want this, because some of us are getting to that age where we are going to want a place to live when we get older."

Weber concluded that residents in the area are pleased to see that initiative is being taken to help renovate the lodge.

"They're very happy that we have formed this foundation and that somebody is going to move forward on this. I know it's not an easy project, but I'm hoping that the government will see fit that we need this facility here."

The community portion of the funding will be raised through memorial donations, special events, fundraisers, and contributions from municipalities.