Seniors’ lodge consultation continuing
By Wheatland Housing Management Body Building Committee
The formation of the Wheatland Housing Management Body (WHMB) 60 years ago exemplifies the pioneering spirit that characterizes the people of Wheatland County. We built Wheatland Lodge for our own people, with our own money and our local needs top of mind. Our current lodge was built, maintained, and nurtured as a loving affordable home to care for those whose indominable spirit forged a strong enduring community. The replicated grain elevator entrance proposed for the new build is an acknowledgement that seeks to emulate and honor this legacy.
WHMB has concentrated on ensuring all community members are respectfully fully included in community life. They don’t believe that seniors’ housing should be developed on an island but should instead be in the heart of the community. A recent quote from Doug Griffiths, president and CEO of 13 Ways, sums up a central theme of WHMB “…if you want to kill your community, shut your seniors out of your downtown; take away their capacity to be directly involved in the most vibrant parts and places of your community … this is the quickest way to ensure they will not stay in your community”. The story of WHMB is one where we work together to ensure seniors can be active members in the heart of Strathmore. In this understanding, we vigorously sought out the opinions, ideas and sentiments of our community.
Through a Facebook Live presentation to the community and eight successive community consultations in the autumn of 2020, Wheatland Housing reached out to more than 1,000 persons. A portion of that consultation concerned where best to build a new space for seniors in our community. Several sites within the community were thoroughly investigated and presented as options for this new initiative. Repeatedly we heard overwhelming support to choose the undeveloped industrial lands to the east of Kinsmen Lake as the site for our new seniors’ living space. This site is perfectly located to further the direction of WHMB: seniors will use the parks, spend time at the playgrounds with grandchildren, walk to the nearby locally owned stores, and continue to help strengthen the local community both socially and economically.
This new community will embrace technologies to improve the lives of everyone calling the Wheatland Lodge Community home. This innovative neighbourhood will offer a full spectrum of seniors’ accommodation, from fully independent living to memory care support. Through partnership with the Wheatland Hospice Society our people will be ensured respectful end of life support if desired.
WHMB is committed to the health and well-being of all their residents and, as such, they have sought out every opportunity to maximize the welfare of those who will choose to call this their home. The mechanical system is designed to diminish the impact of contagious outbreaks such as we’ve just experienced. Outdoor spaces lend themselves to interactive environments, and even the stairs are designed to be inviting, safe, and senior-friendly as they are very walkable.
Being connected to the larger community is important to WHMB and seniors. WHMB has designed exterior spaces for the community to come and connect with the seniors and have also included a bistro with connections from both the interior and the exterior for people to come and enjoy a coffee while also enjoying Kinsmen Lake. WHMB has been about representing and serving the community; and with this project, the strong history of being involved with the community will continue. The hard work and dedication of seniors has created the strengths we currently enjoy in Alberta. WHMB will continue to provide homes for seniors to live in with pride, honour, respect, and safety. WHMB has a long history that will continue to grow and strengthen their community.