A New Chapter Begins: Winnipeg Long-Term Care Transformation Starts in the Heart of St. James

When you live just three blocks from Deer Lodge Centre, as Mayor Scott Gillingham does, it doesn’t take long to understand its impact. “Deer Lodge has always been an important part of our community,” he says. “It serves the broader province in so many ways, but it’s right here, in St. James, where its roots run deepest.”

This fall, a long-awaited Winnipeg long-term care transformation begins, one that honours those roots while redefining what long-term care can feel like. A new courtyard is coming to Deer Lodge Centre. And it’s more than just a renovation. It’s a reinvention of space and spirit.

The new courtyard is a pivotal step in Deer Lodge Centre Foundation’s vision to lead a Winnipeg long-term care transformation, one where nature, culture, connection, and dignity all have a seat at the table.

Not Just a Hospital, It’s A Home

Winnipeg long-term care transformation

For generations, families have entrusted Deer Lodge with the care of their parents, grandparents, and Veterans. It’s a place where kindness is constant, and where caregivers feel a sense of calling. But like so many long-term care facilities, Deer Lodge was built in another era, one that didn’t always prioritize green space, access to the outdoors, or Indigenous healing practices.

Mayor Gillingham understands how crucial that shift is. “When people are going through healthcare situations, especially long-term care, it can feel institutional. It’s walls, its hard surfaces,” he says. “But all of us benefit when we can get outside, feel the sun, and hear the sounds of nature.”

The new courtyard will be a space designed not just for residents, but for families, staff, and the broader community. A safe, accessible, and beautiful outdoor gathering place. A new backyard for those who’ve had to leave theirs behind.

Built for Everyone Who Calls Deer Lodge Home

Healthcare workers, too, are part of this transformation.

“Our healthcare workers are the proverbial frontline,” says Gillingham. “The demands on them are endless. Just being able to step outside, even for five minutes, and feel the warmth on your face, that can be a powerful way to rejuvenate.”

The redesigned courtyard will include staff seating areas, shaded pathways, gardens, and quiet spaces to rest, reflect, and recharge. For those who spend their days serving others, it’s a small but meaningful way to say: You matter, too.

The new design also includes dedicated Indigenous healing and gathering spaces, reflecting a commitment to cultural safety and reconciliation.

A St. James Landmark with Provincial Reach

“Deer Lodge is part of the DNA of this neighbourhood,” Gillingham says. “It’s been here for over 100 years, and over that time, the community has grown around it.”

And yet, for all its local importance, Deer Lodge Centre plays a province-wide role in long-term care, rehabilitation, and specialized dementia services.

“Most Winnipeggers don’t know all that goes on inside these walls,” Gillingham adds. “The hospital side, the long-term care side, the day programs, there’s so much happening here that benefits our entire city.”

The new courtyard will serve as a gateway, not just physically, but symbolically, to a new era for Deer Lodge. It marks the Centre’s evolution from a place associated solely with Veterans to a provincial leader in person-centred care for all Manitobans.

Honouring the Past, Redefining the Future

 At its heart, this project is about reconnection. With nature. With the community. With the sense of peace that comes from sitting outside with a cup of tea or sharing a quiet moment with someone you love.

As Gillingham reflects: “One of the things we enjoy the most, sometimes to take our mind off what we’re going through, is just enjoying nature. Flowers, trees, birds, squirrels… It’s healing.”

“It’s time to ensure Deer Lodge is strong and healthy for the next hundred years.”

Winnipeg Long-Term Care Transformation: A Project Worth Breaking Ground For

When the shovels hit the dirt this fall, they’ll be breaking more than ground. They’ll be breaking barriers. Between indoors and outdoors. Between old models of care and new possibilities. Between ‘what is’ and ‘what could be.’

It’s a project that signals the Deer Lodge Centre Foundation’s bold ambition and growing leadership across Manitoba’s healthcare landscape.

“We’re building more than a courtyard,” says Foundation Executive Director Nicole LaTourelle. “We’re building a place that feels like home.”

And you’re invited to be part of it!