The Saskatchewan Association for Community Living, along with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission hosted a town hall panel discussion last night about the progress of the Valley View closure.

A number of concerned citizens attended to hear panellists talk about some of the positives as well as the challenges.

In 2012 the mandate was given to begin the process of closing down Valley View, and finding homes for the residents. While initially the decision was fought by caregivers, employees, and community members, over time people have begun to see positive outcomes in the transition process.

Jordan Varey is an Area Manager with Christian Horizons in Moose Jaw, and talked about some of the pros and cons of the closure.

"While there's been jobs lost at Valley View, there has been a lot of job creation as well, as different agencies sprout up. But we do know there is a lot of job creation happening that way. And often these are great jobs in terms of flexibility, different hours, and pay."

June Avivi is the Co-Chair of the Valley View Legacy Network and said that even though things are going well, there is still plenty of work to be done.

"We're still in the honeymoon stage, in terms of transition. Things are going very well. I want to make certain that everybody in 5 years from now, is still on the honeymoon. We have to make certain that in 5 or 10 years, no one has fallen between the cracks."

Avivi recently went through the process of having her son transition out of Valley View into a home in Saskatoon. She does recognize that many have transitioned into Moose Jaw, which has it's own set of challenges.

More people have transitioned into Moose Jaw than any other city in Saskatchewan. And while the city is stretched, it is also more capable of handling it than many other centres.

Nearly 60 former residents have transitioned out of Valley View, with almost 100 still residing there.