Duane Hicks
Riverfront property next to the Riverwalk Condominiums is the preferred site for a for-profit assisted living complex being proposed here.
Cherish Community Living Ltd., the company hired to design and run the complex, is hoping it can obtain the town-owned property located just to the east of the condos.
David Caul, contract CFO for B.C.-based Cherish Community Living, Fort Frances Coun. June Caul, and local resident Diane Maxey recently met with the condo board to run the idea past it.
“They’re excited about the idea,” said Coun. Caul, who is a liaison between town council and Cherish Community Living Ltd.
She noted the issue also has been discussed with resident Peter York, who owns the single home located east of the condos.
The concept is to build an assisted living complex next to the Riverwalk Condominiums.
The two buildings will be linked by an underground passageway so those who live in condominiums can utilize services offered at the assisted living facility if they choose.
“Maybe they want to buy into the meal plan, for example,” said Coun. Caul.
“I think that will be a huge one.”
Using the recreation facility in the proposed assisted living complex, or accessing 24-hour nursing care, are two other services condo owners might consider.
Coun. Caul said the matter of the property will be discussed by town council in the future.
Meanwhile, David Caul, who is Coun. Caul’s cousin, stressed everything is in the “proposal” stage right now but pieces are falling into place.
An architect has been hired and has determined the proposed complex would have 96-103 units (any more and the building would have to be five storeys high and look “monolithic,” he noted).
Caul added a feasibility study also is underway.
The study is being conducted by Toronto firm CPWC, which, among other factors, is looking at “absorption time” (i.e., how long it would take for people to sign leases and fill that size of a building).
“We’ve got to get the feasibility study done, we’ve got to tie up the land, put together the development company,” Caul noted.
He added a local investor is willing to spearhead the development but that investor won’t be named at this time.
“We’ve got tons of information on the designer, the builder, and the operator,” added Caul, referring to Cherish Community Living Inc., a private developer with the experience, expertise, and financial backing to not only develop an assisted living/retirement living community but manage the services provided afterwards
“And we’ve got a really good architect specializing in seniors’ housing,” he added.
“It’s really important you’ve got the operators [Cherish] in on the design team,” Caul stressed.
“Normal condo builders cannot produce an efficiently-operated assisted living complex.”
Micky Fleming, president and CEO of Cherish Community Living, noted the company is “excited about the prospect of bringing senior living to Fort Frances.”
But, like Caul, Fleming stressed Cherish still is “investigating how this might work.”
Housing market
One new angle to the benefits of a future assisted living complex here is that it would make available housing for New Gold mine workers to purchase.
Having spoken recently with New Gold, Caul said the company is going to have 500 new employees to operate the mine in 2017.
Right now, in its construction phase, the mine has about 400 employees, most of whom are living in camps.
But going forward, the employees needed to operate the mine will need somewhere to live.
While it’s likely the majority of these workers already will live in Rainy River District, Caul said it’s also probable that about 30 percent of the workers (about 150) will be coming here from elsewhere and need a place to live.
“If we can build a 100-unit assisted living complex in Fort Frances, that will, theoretically, free up 100 homes,” he remarked.
These homes would be those residences currently owned by seniors not just in Fort Frances but from across Rainy River District.
If they move into the assisted living complex, they can sell their homes to the new mine workers.
Caul said New Gold clearly understands the link between an assisted living complex and housing being made available, and agreed to help out with the feasibility study in any way it can.
Economic driver
The need for assisted living for the aging population in Rainy River District has been documented in surveys conducted by the local Assisted Living Action Group (A.L.A.G.).
As well, having an assisted living complex in Fort Frances not only would retain seniors already living here but draw more from out of town—providing an economic boon.
Coun. Caul said many seniors in the area are living at home but cannot manage it on their own and so are relying heavily on their families to help them.
At the same time, these seniors are not ready to go to Rainycrest—nor should they have to.
If they had assisted living available here, they could remain independent but live with all the amenities they want, whether it’s cleaning, nursing care, food preparation, or other services.
There are no assisted living accommodations between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, meaning pretty much any seniors in need of assisted living must move away.
But having a complex here would keep seniors—and their pocketbooks—locally while drawing in new residents.
Caul stressed seniors are an industry.
“They spend money, they buy cars, they buy groceries, they go on trips, they eat out at restaurants,” he remarked.
“But it’s an industry that’s ‘clean,’” he added. “Environmentally clean.
“You don’t need extra police, you don’t need extra schools, you don’t need additional libraries.
“They pay well because they’re professional people in the building,” said Caul.
“And let’s face it—the demographics in Canada are as such that there’s a huge bulge coming through with respect to seniors,” he added, noting some municipalities, such as Parksville, B.C., are really starting to capitalize on seniors.
According to one study, each senior is worth about $350,000. If 100 seniors were to move out of town, that’s $35 million in wealth that would disappear.
Conversely, if the assisted living complex is built, more money will come into the town.
“With the mill closing down, it’s an economic driver,” stressed Caul, adding the assisted living complex also will create employment, with a payroll of an estimated $1 million.
Coun. Caul credited A.L.A.G. for its hard work and dedication in getting people interested in an assisted living facility in Rainy River District and getting the ball rolling.
Cherish Community Living now has taken the lead with the project.
But Coun. Caul noted A.L.A.G. members will be consulted in future for their input as to what they would like to see in the proposed complex.
