After nine years of planning and construction, a new skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in Bullard is ready to open its doors for patients and provide long-term care for the community.
Staff, city and state officials and community members came out to celebrate Bluebonnet Point Wellness with a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of the facility on Friday morning.
Executive Director Mark Saintignan said it’s exciting to see the facility open after a nine-year process.
“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “It feels good to be able to open up. We saw there was a need in Bullard and especially on this side of the county, the needs of the long-term care were underserved.”
Bluebonnet Point Wellness, at 151 Heritage Springs Drive in Bullard, provides long-term care and rehabilitation services for its patients, such as physical, occupational and speech therapies.
Saintignan said there is also a select menu for dining as well as a library and chapel. The facility has 119 rooms, including 57 private rooms, for patients. Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance are all accepted.
There’s also an Internet cafe, salon, spa and indoor and outdoor gathering spots.
He said what makes Bluebonnet Point unique from other facilities is the amount of private rooms, rehab services and religious services as well.
The facility is set to open Oct. 19 with three residents initially before passing its health inspection and then more patients can be accepted, he said.
Saintignan said it’s difficult to open a nursing facility during COVID-19, but they will work with residents through the health screening and quarantine processes.
With Bluebonnet Point Wellness, 100 new jobs will be added to the Bullard area.
“Most folks that work in the facility live in Bullard and are giving back to their community,” he said.
Bluebonnet Point Wellness is a private and family-owned facility.
Owner Goodwin Gladney said it’s wonderful to see the facility come to fruition after years of planning. He encouraged people to come out and give Bluebonnet Point a look on its website, bluebonnetpoint.com, for a virtual tour.
Gladney said this is their fourth facility and the focus is quality over quantity. An accountant in the Longview area told him 10 years ago that the Bullard area would be an ideal location for a nursing facility.
Bullard Mayor Pam Frederick said it’s a great feeling to see the facility become ready for its opening. She’s grateful to the Gladney family for investing their money in Bullard.
She said a $1 million grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture provided infrastructure assistance. The grant required that the facility would contribute to job creation with 51% of the hiring consisting of people with low to moderate income.
State Sen. Bryan Hughes and State Rep. Matt Schaefer were also at the ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate Bluebonnet Point Wellness.
Schaefer said a nursing facility like Bluebonnet Point Wellness can become an anchor in the community.
Hughes presented a proclamation from the Texas Senate to Gladney saying the flag would be flown over the state Capitol in honor of the facility’s opening.
“So many people worked hard to bring this together,” Hughes said. “So this is a great celebration. A beautiful facility like this will be a real blessing to Bullard and our entire region.”