BRACEBRIDGE — A new three-storey, 80-unit affordable senior’s housing complex has received site plan approval, paving the way for construction to begin this month on Pine Street.
The approval was given at a Bracebridge council meeting last Wednesday, Jan. 27. Mayor Don Coates lauded the project saying it is “great news.”
“Tonight we are approving over 100 new residential units for our community, including this senior’s affordable housing complex,” he said. A 21-unit townhouse development was also approved during the meeting.
The senior’s complex is to be constructed on the site of the former Pines long-term care home, which is located between the existing Pines facility and the nearby Rotary Gardens.
“We’re really impressed with the design and are excited by what this will achieve for the residents who will live there,” said Rick Williams, the District of Muskoka’s commissioner of community services.
“The rooms are well designed and there are lots of social and public spaces to intermingle,” he said. “The architect did an excellent job of designing Muskoka features. There are some very nice roof decks and gardens throughout the building so it’s going to be an award-winning design, I think.”
Seventy-four of the 80 units will be one bedroom. The remaining six units will have two bedrooms, he added.
The units are meant to empower independent living, so each will have its own kitchen and bathroom.
“We’ve also built in some social space which will be used for networking, social activities and games,” he said.
The district received a provincial/federal economic stimulus grant in the amount of $9.6 million to construct the facility. It hopes to offer rent at a minimum of 20 per cent below market value.
“The average rent in the area is currently about $660 a month. Residents would be getting it for about $540 or so,” he said.
Williams said potential tenants have to be approved to receive social and affordable housing and must be 65 years of age or older.
“Basically, people could start applying for social and affordable housing now,” he said. “People can indicate a preference for this new building.”
Williams is pleased with the speed at which the project is developing. Design/build firm Tambro Construction Ltd. of Guelph is building the facility.
“Because we’ve now received site plan approval, construction will now start this month,” said Williams. “We need to be up and running no later than March 2011.”
Some maintenance personnel, plus a site manager will likely be hired to oversee the new facility.
There are currently 160 residents in the nearby Pines long-term care home, said Williams, who foresees a smooth transition for some senior’s home residents to the Pines in the future.
As part of the site plan approval, the district is making a $30,000 contribution to the Town of Bracebridge to cover the cost of constructing a pedestrian sidewalk along the south side of Taylor Road, beginning at Pine Street and connecting with the existing sidewalk at Depot Drive.
The district must also undertake a study to determine if a signalized pedestrian crossing is warranted at the intersection of Taylor Road and Cedar Lane. These two initiatives would help address increased traffic and pedestrian travel to and from the new senior’s home.
Kim Horrigan, town development services director, said the district has already submitted a building foundation permit application to the town in order to proceed with the project.
“The review of the application is completed within two weeks of its application,” said Horrigan. “I think they are hoping to be in the ground soon.”
A total of 60 parking spaces have been designed for the site.
The district currently operates about 700 subsidized housing arrangements throughout Muskoka and Williams said the wait list to get into such units is growing.
“In the last three years it’s grown from around 250 people to nearly 500 people on the wait list,” he said. “We were seeing waiting lists grow not only for senior’s accommodations but for all age levels in Muskoka, but we think that by solving the senior’s issue, it allows us more flexibility down the road with other age groups.”
A capital budget passed by district council allows up to $14.8 million to be spent on the project, said Williams.
“We hope to come in under budget.”