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Redevelopment at Simcoe Manor slated for completion in 2024

August 28, 2020   ·   0 Comments

There’s a strong demand for seniors housing in Simcoe County and a $177 million redevelopment to Simcoe Manor in Beeton is projecting 160 new long-term care beds that might help to reduce the need.

While the project won’t be completed until 2024, many in the community are already very excited about the development, which will total 303 housing units in the end, and is being modelled off of Georgian Village in Penetanguishene.

“This type of development is so desperately needed in the community… it’s definitely been a priority to get our seniors housing going and bringing it together, and hopefully we can expand on it even more as we go forward,” said Deputy Mayor Richard Norcross at a Council Meeting on Monday.

“I’ve already had people sending me messages on how to get on the wait list for how to apply for this new facility. People are so excited; they’re excited about the concept and the fact that it accommodates everybody.”

The project is being funded by Simcoe County and the campus model will feature all the amenities needed by seniors, so they won’t have to travel outside of Simcoe Manor very often. Some of the services that could be offered there include a lab, doctor’s office, hearing clinic, beauty salon, fitness centre, restaurants, greenhouse and a small library branch.

“We really try to put as many different amenities in that centre core and the concept is really one-stop shopping, so as people get older and they get on the campus, they don’t have to go anywhere, they can literally get everything to suit their needs right on campus,” explained Jane Sinclair, who manages Simcoe Manor, during a presentation to Town Council on Monday.

All of the main buildings planned for the redevelopment will be linked together for easy access by seniors.

“All these buildings are attached, there’s [indoor] links that people can actually walk through, without having to go outside,” said Sinclair.

“The other beauty of this concept is that it’s not just for the people living on the campus, the amenities are built such that they’re open to people living in the surrounding communities.”

The development is conservatively estimated to create just under 60 new jobs and an $8.4 million economic impact to the community.

Simcoe Manor was built in 1898 and some of the infrastructure is incredibly outdated, according to Sinclair.

In addition to long-term care beds, there’s going to be a range of other housing on the facility’s nearly 30 acres of property. This includes supportive housing, affordable housing, market rentals, retirement living, garden homes, townhomes, and co-housing, all geared to individuals 55+.

The co-housing will be unique in New Tecumseth, it’s a newer concept that’s gaining popularity for its affordability.

“I like to call it the ‘Golden Girls’ model; we haven’t built this yet, but it’s a single dwelling and it has a number of separate individual bedrooms with their own bathrooms but then there’s shared amenity space,” explained Sinclair.

The redevelopment has been approved by the Town of New Tecumseth and is awaiting final approvals from the Ministry of Longterm Care.

Simcoe County anticipates securing roughly 62 per cent of all the capital costs associated with the redevelopment, totalling $110 million, so roughly $67 million will be drawn from other sources.

In terms of fundraising, Simcoe Manor has raised $800,000 for redevelopment and those efforts will be ramping up in the near future.

The architect for the project is hoping to have a full design concept finished by the end of the year, before heading into the detail drawings which will take up the majority of 2021, with hopes of going to tender in the fall. Construction would commence in early 2022.

The redevelopment more than triples the current property’s footprint from 7.8 to 28.4 acres.

While all of the lands won’t be used for redevelopment, extra space was acquired to allow for growth, as New Tecumseth has a large senior population that’s growing.

“In our existing campus continuum in Penetanguishene, Georgian Village, which this is modelled after, we purchased 20.8 acres of land and we packed it, literally every square inch of the property,” said Sinclair.

“We’ve learned from that process having some additional land available for future growth is prudent, particularly with the seniors’ demographic growth here.”

By Sam Odrowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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