In 1956, Mercy Hospital in Auburn built a convent for the Sisters of St. Francis. Now, more than 40 years later, the convent has been demolished to make room for a park that the residents of Mercy Health and Rehabilitation Center can all enjoy.

Seven years ago, the center no longer had enough sisters to staff the facility, so there was no need for the convent, said mission director Sister Frances Ann Thom.

“We have been trying to sell the convent ... hoping someone would find a purpose for it. And what we found out was that it would be extremely expensive to try to remake it into anything because of the structure,” she said.

That's when the Sisters of Saint Francis decided to take down the building and turn the area into a park for its residents.

“The residents can go and enjoy being in the grass, sitting there in the wind, looking at the flowers, sitting under the trees,” Thom said.

Part of the area will be used to create additional parking for employees, she said.

Martin McClusky, Support Services Supervisor for Mercy Health and Rehabilitation, has been working with contractors and subcontractors and coordinating the project between Mercy Health and the Sisters of St. Francis, he said. He helps with safety and the transition.

“They decided to take down the convent and turn it into a park for the residents,” McClusky said.

The park, which is being paid for by the Sisters of Saint

Francis, should be ready by next Spring, Thom said. She is unsure how much the project will cost.

McClusky believes it's a win-win for the residents and the Sisters of St. Francis.

“The building, they could find no use for it, therefore it required upkeep, heating and utilities and it wasn't cost-justified to keep it going,” he said. “(Now), we'll have a nice, big type-park atmosphere for (residents) to go out and enjoy nature and the outdoors and accessibility to picnic tables.”

Staff writer Gitana Mirochnik can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or gitana.mirochnik@lee.net