The Rocky View Foundation is bringing 92 senior housing suites to Airdrie in the late fall of this year, with 60 rooms being subsidized, affordable suites.
The foundation purchased the former Hampton Inn and Suites hotel in June 2021, after the east Airdrie hotel shuttered its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since acquiring the property, the foundation has been making “minor tweaks” to the hotel, according to Carol Borschneck, chief administrative officer for the Rocky View Foundation.
While Airdrie currently has 32 independent senior housing options, the city has no additional lodging available for seniors. The newly renovated lodge will offer bachelor-style accommodations for those over the age of 65.
The lodge is considered a Support Living Level Two facility, meaning all meals, snacks and weekly housekeeping will be provided to residents and is included in the monthly rent price, according to Borschneck.
Although just an estimate, Borschneck said rent averages will be around $1,550 a month for each room, with meals, and planned activities included that are organized by the lodge’s activity coordinators.
“[It] is key to provide housing that is engaging for seniors,” Borschneck said. “We want to see them involved in lots of activities and provide … a variety of things for folks to do, both in the building and outdoors.”
In the future, Borschneck is hoping to create a community garden on site with raised flower beds and a walking path to have a welcoming front entrance and a place for residents to get their hands dirty in the garden.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to build a shop at the back, which will be an outdoor space which can be heated for the winter, where [residents] can participate in a small construction project, and things like that,” Borschneck added.
Those over 65 can express interest in the lodging at bit.ly/3Sz7ppx.
“We have a list of about 165 people already who are interested in hearing more information or applying for housing, so [the lodge] will help to fill the void that has been in Airdrie,” Borschneck said.
This will be the first official senior lodging in Airdrie, which is currently facing an affordable housing shortage, particularly for seniors.
Once open, the lodge will receive a grant from the province to help cover operating costs, meaning the foundation is able to offer a lower monthly rent than privately funded housing facilities.
“We’ll be able to help people who are in a situation where they have lower income and can’t afford the private options,” Borschneck said.
Additionally, with scarce housing options in town, many seniors have uprooted themselves and relocated away from the community. Many have headed to the Rocky View Lodge located in Crossfield, according to Borschneck, which is another Rocky View Foundation-run facility.
“It’ll be nice to be able to have folks stay in their community, supported by their family,” Borschneck added. “And living in close proximity to their friends.”
To make the Airdrie-based lodge come to fruition, Borschneck said the foundation has received many generous donations from community members, who will be announced in early September, along with the official name of the lodge.
The foundation has not received any funding from the government as of press time, but Borschneck is hoping to receive assistance from Alberta’s minister of seniors and housing, Josephine Pon, who toured the lodge earlier this year.
So far, the lodge has raised $2 million to go towards renovating the former hotel, according to Borschneck. Due to funding restraints, the foundation is only able to add one accessible room to the lodge and most of the suites have showers instead of baths, making living difficult for those in mobile decline.
The foundation has had to make many tweaks to convert the former hotel and is currently working on developing the kitchen, according to Borschneck.
“If we get that kitchen in, we can almost open the doors,” she added.
With a soft opening date of late fall, the lodge is hoping to employ 35 Airdrie residents, adding jobs to the local economy. Those interested in applying to work there can visit the Rocky View Foundation website here bit.ly/3JTiSfT.
Borschneck said the website will be continually updated with new information regarding the Airdrie lodge as it is available.
“We’re just very pleased to be able to have this opportunity to provide affordable housing in Airdrie because it is greatly needed and we really appreciate the incredible community support that we’ve received,” Borschneck said. “We look forward to inviting people to our new home.”
