Communities Development Society

Background

Latest Updates on the Project:

• Hunt Coulee Ranch Retirement Community Open House (May 2010)
• Country Nature Walk and Picnic (July 2009)
• Results from Telephone Market Survey (2009)
• Seniors Housing Business Plan (2009)

Hunt Coulee Retirement Ranch

As a direct result of five senior focus groups and with prompting from the Bearspaw Lions Club, the Rural Seniors Housing Task Force was formed in early 2006. This committed group of seniors is now in its' fourth year of forging a community based solution to the need for rural seniors housing. The Rural Seniors Housing Project has by far been the most absorbing CDS project in recent years.

CDS desires to build senior housing that is consistent with the values and traditions of our rural residents. We believe rural senior housing solutions should reflect these values while encouraging seniors to continue to contribute to our community. Senior housing should reflect the diversity of rural communities and not serve only one segment of the senior population. Rural seniors want their retirement communities to reflect the diverse and individual senior needs, community activities and be an active part of the community.

Through the generous donation of land, Ruth Hunt has made it possible for the CDS Rural Senior Housing Project (RSHP) to realize their goal of building a rural senior housing community. For the past two years a group of dedicated rural residents have been meeting to develop their concept of senior housing. In the next two years CDS hopes to begin the formal land development and home building for approximately 55 senior housing units. CDS hopes this will be the first of many senior housing projects.

So far the RSHP has developed a concept of an 'Eco-Agra' community - a seniors' community that reflects best practices in environmental protection, energy efficiency and sustainable agricultural practices. The seniors believe it is important to create housing that is compatible with the current market. Our effort should not result in a dependency on financial assistance from government and private donors but should be self sustaining. Both the housing industry and other community organizations should be able to replicate our model of rural senior housing.

Activities in rural senior communities should reflect activities of value to rural residents. Maintaining livestock and horticultural practices while enjoying the peace and tranquility of natural landscapes is greatly valued. Close relationships with community members and the opportunity to visit and be together reflect the large social networks of rural communities.

While close access to medical services becomes more important to an ageing community, rural seniors do not see themselves as being isolated from these services while living in a rural community and don't see the distances from medical services as a great barrier to the choice of ageing in their own community. Indeed it could be argued that ageing in a supportive community contributes just as much as medical services to the quality of life for senior citizens.

Most important to rural seniors they see the need for peace and security in a rural community as being far better then being located in an unknown urban community. The sense of personal security is far greater in a close knit seniors' community.

• The seniors housing action group held 37 meeting for 1219 volunteer hours making a total of 6,000 volunteer hours since it started in 2006.
• 10 new people have joined the meetings with numerous more wanting to stay informed
• Bordeaux Developments have contributed private sector donations in excess of $100,000. through the use of private sector advisors and resources.
• A land agreement was finalized with the Hunt family in late 2008.

Check out when the Rural Seniors Housing Committee's next meeting will be in our calendar! Everyone is welcome to join. We always have lots of good snacks and conversations!

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