The ceremonial ribbon cutting on the new county owned nursing home signals the facility's completion . Heddington Oaks is located on Heading Avenue in West Peoria. It’s replacing the nearly 40 year old Bel-Wood Nursing Home currently located off Maxwell Road. Matt Newkirk is the Director of the County owned facility. He says the new facility cost about $35 Million and was more than six years in the making.
“We’re in the final stages of having public health come in and finishing our surveys to certify the building. We are hoping within the next two to three weeks that everything will be complete and applications done and will be ready to move the residents into the new Heddington Oaks.”
Newkirk says residents will make the move to the new facility in the first to middle part of August. Heddington Oaks has 240 rooms. Bel-Wood has 300 plus rooms but is carrying a daily census of about 175 people. Newkirk says there are about 50 people on the waiting list to move into Heddington Oaks. The new facility has 80 rooms certified for Alzheimer's patients. 66 beds are for short term rehab stays. Newkirk says they will be able to offer about 4 times more physical therapy at the new facility, and will eventually offer dialysis treatments.