Council approves sale of land for seniors’ housing
Administrator | Mar 14, 2013 | Comments 6
Prince Edward County Council has accepted an offer from Nautical Lands Group to purchase a four-acre property behind the H.J. McFarland Home, to be used for the development of seniors’ accommodations.
The sale of $200,000 is conditional on Nautical Lands Group obtaining site plan approval and the removal of a holding provision. The County, in a statement, said the sale is to generate more than $1,000,000 for the municipality in fees and charges.
“Finalizing this sale of land demonstrates the municipality’s commitment to both the Age in Place Concept and the achievement of our community development goals,” says Mayor Peter Mertens. “This development will benefit our residents by ensuring supported living opportunities are available as they age, an important factor to enable our residents to stay in our community.”
The County lists the sale benefits as including:
• Initiating the Age in Place Concept on the H.J. McFarland Home property
• Facilitating the development of much needed seniors’ accommodations
• Increasing the municipal tax base
• Creating jobs in both public health and construction sectors
• Making the County an attractive place to live and invest
• Supporting the County’s profile as an attractive economic climate with business opportunities, and
• Expanding utilities and infrastructure – facilitating development on adjacent properties.
The County’s Age in Place concept envisions a seniors’ living complex designed to encourage active living and integration into the community, while facilitating residents’ transition into increasing levels of assisted living if required as an individual ages.
In January 2013, this parcel of land was rezoned for the purpose of seniors’ accommodations and related developments. This location was chosen in consultation with both Nautical Lands Group and McFarland Home residents as an alternative to an original proposal to purchase land directly in front of the home. The rezoning process also identified the area at the front of the McFarland Home property along Highway 49 as open space – responding to concerns raised by McFarland home residents in late 2012 about a need to maintain the park-like setting.
The County will be developing a master plan that will outline the overall concept for the property. This plan is to be approved by Council before any development proceeds, ensuring the overall vision for the property aligns with both the Age in Place Concept and council’s strategic goals.
Filed Under: Local News
Whose going to end up being the general manager of this new facility–Mertens or Dewing??
I guess this means that we still need seniors’ housing here, something realistic. Who can afford the prices you mention, Wolf? There are many elderly people in the county living on very tight budgets. What’s available for them?
Web References
Kirk Hoppner CEO and President …
http://www.nauticallandsgroup.com, 22 Jan 2013 [cached]
Kirk Hoppner CEO and President
Nautical President Kirk …
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca, 13 April 2010 [cached]
Nautical President Kirk Hoppner told councillors at the committee meeting that the seniors’ club could be in the building quite quickly. “We are going forward. We’ll be closing (the deal to purchase the property) in 45 days,” he told committee members. The 5.5-acre property is already zoned appropriately so the company, whose head office is in Ottawa, would only have to get approval for a site plan before they could start construction. Hoppner said the design for the development is pretty much done. Hoppner also said that since the company self-finances all their developments time spent trying to finance with banks is eliminated. He anticipated that construction would take about a year depending on the weather. But the seniors’ club could be using the building during the construction phase. “The seniors could be up and running right away,” he told The Paris Star.
Nautical Lands Group Inc.
http://www.nauticallandsgroup.com, 14 Jan 2006 [cached]
NLG’s president is on record as telling councilors that the proposed all-inclusive monthly rent will range between $2400 to $3000. For that residents will be provided with: 3 meals served daily in a common dining room area; 24 hr staffing; daily health care presence; weekly housekeeping, and so on.
Rents are controlled by the Rent Review Board. So residents rates are controlled. What’s not controlled are all the services that are provided. If you know anyone living in today’s retirement homes they can tell you where the cost of living increases come from. They come from services. Ultimately, the monthly cost of living in high end retirement homes can easily cost $5 grand a month or more. Depends on location. Not everyone in PEC will be able to afford those rents.
Private residences for seniors are not inexpensive. The average monthly rate can run as high as $5 thousand per month in the Quinte area.
The county needs AFFORDABLE seniors’ accommodations. Will this project bring them?
I have been informed that the cost of a unit in this building is prohibitive for most seniors. I did not see anything in the article about costs to residents.