250-unit seniors’ facility ready to start after zoning change

By Collin Gallant on August 22, 2018.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant

Plans for a two-phase, 250-unit seniors’ housing and assisted living facility in south Medicine Hat will proceed this fall, say developers, who successfully applied to rezone the property on Monday night.

Canalta Real Estate and Points West Living plan to start building the $24-million first phase on property near Strachan Road, with at least preliminary work soon.

“It works well in the development,” said Robert Visser, of Canalta, whose company also plans a six-storey hotel on the southside of the site, has sold part of the 17-acre development to South Country Co-op and has two restaurants already in operations.

Canalta purchased the whole site from the City of Medicine Hat’s land office two years ago, kicking off a build out that will likely include a car lot as well, sources say.

The general vicinity will also feature two grocery stores within walking distance, and, as a construction boom in the area continues, further phases of other seniors’ complexes are underway.

The zoning change, from regional commercial to medium density residential, had been requested this summer, but had raised some concerns from residents of the Chartwell Gardens manufactured home community on the property’s west boundary.

A portion of trail network separates the two properties, and with required setbacks on both sides, a total of 22-metres — 70 feet or so — would be the distance between buildings.

In formal letters submitted to the hearing, Chartwell managers and residents worried the height of a four-storey building might leave some existing homes in shadow.

The maximum allowable height in medium residential zones is 18 metres, but Canalta says it will apply for an exemption to 21 metres to allow for a higher roofline on one part of the facility.

Administrators pointed out that current zoning as regional commercial allows for taller buildings, up to six storeys, without appeal from neighbours. A zoning change means the variation would be heard by the municipal planning commission, where affected parties can make their case.

“It’s a significant development,” said Kent Snyder, the city’s general manager of planning. “0ur municipal development plan talks about more compact development that allows greater use of existing infrastructure (like roads, bus routes and utility services).”

“There’s a good mix in the community. It’s happened quite quickly.”

Developers also said the activity in the community makes it an attractive space for potential renters in phase one, which would be marketed to active seniors.

Paul Murphy, the chief investment officer with Points West, appeared at the hearing and told the News his company is expanding its presence in the province through development partnership with Canalta.

Points West operates facilities in 11 mid-sized and smaller urban centres in Alberta, including Grande Prairie, Red Deer, Cold Lake, Wainwright and Lloydminster, as well as Penticton, B.C. There move into mid-sized cities follows Canalta’s lead. The company is best known for hotel and hospitality offerings in Western Canada. In Medicine Hat it will oversee construction and eventually maintain ownership of the building that Points West will operate on a long-term lease, said Murphy.

An application for provincial funding to host assisted living spaces in a second phase of the project could be decided this fall, he added.

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