A Muskoka Legion is taking on a project that could change affordable senior housing nationwide.
Muskoka Lakes Township recently gave the Bala Legion 424 Branch the nod to begin the planning phase for the Bala Legion Heritage Manor. The manor is a proposed 134,000 square foot, 128-room assisted living and long-term care facility. The majority of the manor would offer affordable housing for seniors, but 20 per cent of the rooms will be for seniors needing specialized care. It would be built on Legion-owned land behind the Bala Arena.
Branch Membership Vice President Dennis Mills says this facility would be the first of its kind in Ontario.
Those add-ons include the specialized care, an onsite medical clinic and a legion bar and community area. The rooms would be first be offered to veterans and first-responders, but could also act as affordable housing for other seniors in the community. Mills says revenue that doesn’t go back into the capital and operational costs of the facility would go to Legion programs and services.
Mills says the branch officials came across the idea for this type of affordable housing from a similar facility run by a Legion in Victoria, BC.
That facility now has over 300 residents.
Mills says when the Bala Legion decided to build their own facility they spoke to MP Adam Vaughan who is the Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. He says Vaughan has offered federal support for this project.
According to Mills, if this facility is successful, the feds may be interested in using it as a prototype for other Legions across the country.
Mills says they’re now putting together a business plan for the manor to figure out how much it will cost to build and operate. He says the early construction cost estimate is about $21 million. The plan will need to be ready by December 2nd to present to the federal government.