Hunt Coulee Ranch Community Open House

Over 85 people attended an Open House on May 6th, 2010 for the proposed Hunt Coulee Ranch Retirement Community project in the Lochend area north of Bearspaw.

Long time rancher Ruth Hunt donated land in the Lochend area to the Communities Development Society (CDS) for a seniors housing development. Approximately 45 acres of the quarter section is to be used for small footprint and environmentally friendly homes for rural seniors while the remaining acres will be set aside as conservation land.

The open house addressed the issues of impacts of the housing development on the land and surrounding community, community maintenance, programs and activities, home design, and health care services. Participants provided suggestions and ideas related to these concerns as well as showing support for a grassroots planning process.

Phil Unland, a nearby resident, shared his love of the rural lifestyle and his dream for a place to retire were people share similar values including their love of the land and the importance of the agricultural based life style. Phil added that "We want to stay in our home community and we believe that if we stay here we can help the next generation of ranchers and farmers preserve and develop our homesteads, ranches and farms. Here we can continue to impart our gained knowledge and experience and make a far greater contribution to our country's future than if we have to spend our sunset years, in town, in an old folk's home."