Canada/Elementary school converted to seniors' housing in Greater Sudbury

A couple of entrepreneurs in suburban Greater Sudbury are completing the conversion of a former elementary school into seniors' housing to meet the growing need for housing in the area.

Krista Vis and her husband Kevin, two entrepreneurs from Hanmer, a suburb of the City of Greater Sudbury, are promoting their new housing development, built within the former Pinecrest Elementary School.

There are 19 accessible units of seniors' living space under construction, built to attract local residents who want to move out of their homes and into smaller units.

In between visiting potential tenants, Krisa Vis says she and her husband were both very familiar with the old school they ended up buying.

We used to drive by it every day on our way to work, it had been abandoned for a long time, we had the opportunity to buy it and we thought it was a great concept to transform it into seniors' housing," she says.

Phase 1 of the Dominion Estates housing development is expected to be completed and ready for all tenants by September 1.

Vis says seven units have already been filled.

Some of the amenities that will be available include additional common areas for entertaining guests, green space for gardening and a fitness room to keep in shape within the complex.

The company is planning a phase 2 of the project, with the construction of some 20 adapted townhouses to complete its housing offer.

A need, but not at any price

Krista Vis says market studies for the Hanmer area show that the area needs more senior housing.

The demographics of the area show a desire for this type of housing from people whose children have left home, who want to get rid of a house that's too big or who just want to travel," she says.

René Lapierre, the city councillor who represents the Hanmer ward, also believes his area needs more seniors' housing, even though several projects are already underway in the area.

I know there is still a demand because I have several of my residents calling me and asking me when we are going to have more developments for seniors," he says.

Lapierre points out that the developer went ahead and started building so quickly, only to have the project almost completed about two years after receiving approval from the municipality.

The councilman says that many people in his ward want adapted, single-story housing that is easy to access for people with limited mobility.

The Dominion Estate's one- to three-bedroom units range in price from $1,500 to $2,600 per month.

Jeannine Blais, president of the Hanmer Golden Age Club, also believes that more senior housing is needed, but that not everyone in her neighbourhood can afford to live in the new units.

If they have good pensions, great, but you know, if you just have your Canada Pension Plan and the old age pension with a supplement, that's not a lot of money per month," she says.

We have a lot of seniors here and you see it, the ones who have moved out of their homes and into housing, they're paying at least $2,000 or $2,500 a month. That's really expensive when you have just a small pension.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca