Northumberland County is responsible for Social Services in the County and this includes Long Term Care Homes. The home operated by the County is the Golden Plough located on County property at the northwest corner of Elgin and Burnham but it has reached end of life and does not meet current standards. Since renovating it to meet current requirements would be more expensive, even if it were possible, the County has embarked on a rebuild with a budget of $80M (see revision below in October 2024 update). 
At 200,000 sq. ft., the new building will be double the size of the current lodge and will include 6000 sq. ft. devoted to an archive/museum facility which will relocate from their current space at the Library. When the new building is complete, the current building will be demolished since it would be too expensive to re-purpose the building for (e.g.) low-cost housing.
The new building will have 180 beds compared to 151 currently. Each unit will have a window to open space – some into interior courtyards.
There is an overview of the project at this Cobourg News Post
The Archives are included because the County has expanded its mandate for archives to include the entire County (not just Cobourg) and has outgrown the space at the Library. The new facility will include “display and exhibition space to showcase a diverse range of County stories”.
Progress Report - 7 October 2024
The construction of the new Golden Plough Lodge & Northumberland County Archives and Museum (GPL & NCAM) has reached a significant milestone. The project is now 75 per cent complete and firmly moving into the final phase of construction.
Initially launched in December 2020 with a projected completion date of December 2022, nation-wide challenges in the construction sector stemming from the global pandemic have impacted original projections. Factors such as material cost increases, skilled labor shortages, high interest rates, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuating oil and gas prices have required adjustments to the timeline and budget.
Following constructive negotiations, Northumberland County and contractor Matheson Constructors have reached an agreement on an updated budget and schedule to ensure the successful delivery of this vital community project.
Revised Schedule
The revised occupancy date is set for June 24, 2025, at which time furnishing, set-up, and touch-ups will take place.
- Residents move in – Fall 2025
- NCAM collection relocated from C. Gordon King Centre - Summer 2025
- Demolition of existing GPL – Fall 2026
- Completion of site campus – Fall 2026
Revised Budget
This budget adjustment incorporates additional funds for contractor and subcontractor work, project administration and design changes, as well as elevated interest rates on financing, for a revised total project budget of $145 million, up from $115 million. The County will fund these increases through a financing arrangement with Infrastructure Ontario as well as a draw from reserves.
Staff will provide a report on the breakdown of this costing at the December meeting of the Public Works Committee, following a 60-day period requested by the contractor due to commercial sensitivity.
Video of announcement. Note: On phones, video works best if you select "Watch on You-Tube."
Full progress update on County Site here.
Progress Report – January 2024
Interior Takes Shape
With most of the roof complete and the majority of windows installed, the construction team is turning their attention to work on the inside of the facility.
Heating and air conditioning ductwork is being hoisted up and hung from ceiling brackets and electrical cabling is being wired throughout the building. Wall framing continues to be constructed and anchored in place to allow crews to start the hanging and installation of drywall. With drywall underway, the interior hallways and resident rooms are starting to take shape and define the interior spaces.
Late last month a number of major milestones where accomplished:
- installation of roof top units holding the heating and air conditioning units;
- boilers, pump, and the emergency generator have been placed in the mechanical penthouse above the 3rd floor and are currently being connected to building systems; and
- the curbs and first layer of asphalt have been completed for the north staff parking.
In the coming weeks, drywalling will continue on all floors and the major electrical and plumping components such as pumps and electrical panels will be installed and connected.
See County Web site page here.
Note re Northumberland County Archives and Museum (NCAM)
Preserving our past and preparing for our future
With over 400,000 archival materials and more than 600 artifacts, preserving and storing the past while ensuring space for future growth is an important consideration for the new NCAM.
"To meet our current requirements as well as our future needs, we had to seek out expert advice to develop a specialized storage system", commented Abigail Miller, NCAM Archivist. "We needed a storage system that would meet a high, curatorial standard."
Working with SpaceSaver Solutions, who are specialists in the field of archival storage, a system was designed to prioritize the needs of the artifacts and provide an enhanced experience for visitors. Special features include:
- Storage cabinets with visible shelving for display and secure behind-the-scenes showcasing;
- Oversized tray drawers for storing large plans and maps;
- Mobile racks for safely storing and displaying framed artwork and photographs; and
- Oversized shelves for storing and displaying large artefacts.
The storage units are moveable to maximize space and have a sophisticated drive system for smooth, balanced movement to prevent shifting or damage to fragile artifacts. This state-of-the-art system, installed in a secure, climate-controlled environment, will help NCAM to work to achieve a Category A Curatorial standard designation, which will enable staff to acquire and borrow cultural property of outstanding significance and national importance to Canada.
The current archive collection will be carefully relocated to the new facility's collection storage room in 2024. Once the items are safely stored, the remaining available space will still provide over 40 per cent new storage space for future growth.
"With over 50 thousand linear feet of storage we plan to be able to continue collecting for another 15-20 years," explained Miller. The specialized shelving unit will be funded with the generous support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.
More details
The Project manager who provided the update in a report to the County's Public Works committee also said in November 2022:
The project has experienced challenges related to a combination of variables including supply chain, labour disruption and resourcing, weather, inflation, higher interest rates, etc., which is resulting in higher projected forecasts than originally budgeted. As a result, the projected cost will increase from $115,428,998 to $127,249,219.
The schedule has been updated with a new projected occupancy date in late January 2024. Subsequently, the new facility will be cleaned, furniture, fixtures, and equipment will be moved into the new facility and GPL staff will be training in the new facility to ensure efficient workflows prior to resident move-in anticipated for Summer 2024. Substantial completion of the project including demolition of the existing GPL and completion of campus site works is projected for October 2024.
Simulation of Final Building
This is a virtual tour video which explores the concept design for the Golden Plough Lodge long-term care home portion of this project – that is, it does not include the Archive.
There is a little more detail at the County's web page.