After hosting an open house on to give the public the opportunity to learn and ask questions about a proposed development within Kinniburgh for an Adult Lifestyle Community, Ryan Armstrong, General Manager for Lifestyle Homes was excited about the positive feedback he received from the majority of those who attended.
“We knew there was a strong demand for an active living community in Chestermere from the research we had done, but the open house reinforced how dire the need for it really was. By and large the responses we got were overwhelmingly supportive”, said Armstrong.
The open house was held on January 22 at the Chestermere Recreation Centre and saw almost 100 individuals come through. It was designed as a public consult to get the communities opinion on having a development of this type within Chestermere. The proposed location is a privately owned 11 acre site located directly south of the new Kinniburgh school site that currently sits vacant, but is zoned within the Town of Chestermere as a Special Recreation District (SPR).
Armstrong said he sees a real need within Chestermere for what he calls transitional homes for the 50-70 age group. “We know that Canada has an aging population and as it turns out, Chestermere has an even greater need for this type of residence”, says Armstrong.
Armstrong explains this property is ideal for his plans to build a spectacular low density community which promotes the type of life that living in Chestermere is all about. “The location would be great for this demographic with the medical centre within walking distance and other amenities so close by.”
The current pathway system within Kinniburgh will continue and connect within this pocket neighbourhood. The design is set for 36 buildings that will hold 74 units which have been thoughtfully designed with a high-end coastal craftsmen theme. “We took great steps to design a neighbourhood that includes lots of green space and gardens, in fact each home will face a courtyard.”
Because the land is currently zoned as Special Recreation District, the developer would have to have it successfully re-zoned in order to go ahead with the Adult Lifestyle Community. According to the town Land Use Bylaws, the purpose of the district is to provide for commercial recreational facilities on public or private land. Under the Bylaws it states that permitted uses include First Accessory Buildings, Irrigation Works & Reservoirs and Parks. Some of the listed discretionary uses include campgrounds, outdoor boat parking and private clubs.
Armstrong was glad to receive the feedback from neighbouring residents and well as folks from the 50+ age group looking to relocate. Of the few ideas he heard were to incorporate more trees around the border of the property and to consider making space for an owner’s cottage where the residents could gather for various events.
“The next step is to incorporate the feedback we received from the adjacent residents and townspeople into our plans while remaining true to the pocket neighborhood concept. It’s important that we stay as transparent as possible throughout this process, and so in the months to come we will present an application to the town that demonstrates those features requested by the individuals who chose to be involved,” shares Armstrong.
