Rocky View Foundation Opening Senior Lodge in Airdrie

AIRDRIE, AB, Dec. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - Airdrie area seniors will have access to new lodge units created by innovative development and financing partnership to re-purpose distressed hospitality facility.

The Rocky View Foundation today announced that 96 much needed seniors lodge units will welcome new Airdrie and area residents in early 2022.

Pending zoning approval for the conversion, the Hamptons Inn & Suites in Airdrie will be redeveloped and converted to seniors' lodge units ranging from studio to two-bedroom.  The project is expected to create 150 construction and permanent operational jobs.

With the current economic environment, many businesses in the hospitality sector are severely strained or now permanently closed.  Given the ongoing need for affordable and market-based seniors housing, this represents an opportunity to utilize these assets to meet needs in new ways.

Rocky View Foundation and Abrio Health assembled a pro-bono team of development and program planning partners — M3 Development Management, Western Management Consultants, MillarForan, and MTA Urban Design Architecture —  who identified the steel and concrete hotel in the area that was no longer financially viable for continuing hospitality operations.  Their collaborative work built a sustainable financial, development, and operational plan to convert the former hotel into a new senior's lodge.

Many of Alberta's existing seniors' lodges require a contribution of land, a significant capital grant, or operational funding from government.  This innovative project will manage the acquisition, renovation, and operations through private sector financing and municipal requisitions without need for a capital construction grant.

"This is an excellent example of Alberta's Recovery Plan that will create jobs and an exciting day for Airdrie's  seniors who will in future be able to remain in their own community,"  said Josephine Pon, Alberta Minister of Seniors and Housing.  "Alberta's government applauds an innovative collaboration among private sector advisors to support the housing authority in repurposing assets to meet a significant need within the community." 

"Airdrie has long needed seniors lodge housing," Al Henuset, Chairman, Rocky View Foundation; Councillor, Village of Beiseker.  "Seniors in the area currently have no affordable lodge options and must relocate out of their home community.  Without this opportunity to re-purpose a perfectly suitable building, new construction would likely cost 200+% more.  It is an incredible model that emerged from the current circumstances we are all facing."

SOURCE Rocky View Foundation