COCHRANE— The future site of the new Big Hill Lodge facility is one step closer to reality after funding was tentatively approved for a utility servicing study at the Tri-Site in the 2021-23 Cochrane Budget.
Over the last few years, the current Big Hill Lodge facility has outgrown its current space, said Councillor Susan Flowers, and the need for a new building has become more urgent as the walls of the current space are beginning to crack.
“It’s an aging building and it’s not in the best of shape,” Flowers said. “It’s time, it’s so needed.”
During the budget debate on Nov. 23, $100,000 was tentatively approved by council for a utility servicing study of the Tri-Site to help move the development of the area along. The funding will be taken from the operating reserve and will not affect tax rates in Cochrane. No development at the Tri-Site can take place until this study is completed.
Flowers said it was important to continue advocating for the new Big Hill Lodge facility because she is a member of the Rocky View Foundation and a member of the Tri-Site task force.
It was critical to keep moving forward wherever they can to ensure they keep up the momentum.
“I know there’s a lot of seniors in Cochrane and their needs are only going to become greater,” Flowers said. “We have to be ready.”
The new location for Big Hill Lodge received a pledge of land from the Town in 2018 as part of the development of the Tri-Site on Fifth Avenue. She added the new lodge will be funded by the Rocky View Foundation, but the Town needs to be prepared to help the building break ground.
The location for the new site is perfect, Flowers said, because it is in downtown Cochrane and will help seniors stay active and connected to their community.
Flowers and Cochrane council have been advocating with the Minister of Seniors Housing Josephine Pon to help ensure the project will eventually break ground.
Flowers noted that before any major changes can take place work on the Horse Creek Sports Park must first occur so new diamonds are established to replace the ones on Fifth Avenue.
“We’re preparing for the future, we’re not just sitting still,” Flowers said. “I was thrilled it was approved because I would hate to go another year without doing anything.”
The Rocky View Foundation is grateful for the support they have received from the Town, said Foundation CAO Carol Borschnek.
“For quite some time we have needed to build a new lodge,” Borschnek said.
The current Big Hill Lodge is owned by the Province of Alberta and they are looking for capital funding for the construction of a new lodge.
In the last 18-months the lodge hasf had significant cracking and shifting in the current building making the need for a new building all the more imperative.
Borschnek added Minister Pon has toured the current facility and is familiar with its condition. Pon spoke with residents to understand the needs of community members.
The current lodge was built in the 1970s and consists of 75 rooms. Since its construction the standards of senior's facilities have changed, Borschnek said.
She highlighted how the current bathrooms are insufficient for residents as they are five-foot by six-foot bathrooms with a bathtub, vanity and toilet. They do not meet the needs of residents, most of whom have walking aids or wheelchairs.
“They can’t get into the room with their walker,” Borschnek said. “That’s a big concern.”
Borschnek said the Rocky View Foundation is hopeful funding for a new facility will be available in the 2021 Alberta Budget when it is released in the spring.
She noted as Cochrane grows the need for seniors housing will grow in tandem. This demand will only increase as baby boomers retire and age.
“Very often people don’t realize until they get to the point they need help themselves or they're looking for something for their family members,” Borschnek said.
The next steps in securing a new facility will be to have an architect draw up some designs and continue applying for capital grants.
The Rocky View Foundation is working to be active in the community to ensure Big Hill Lodge is at the forefront of people’s minds and to ensure they have support in the community.
They are grateful for the support people to have shown the lodge during COVID-19 be it vehicle parades, gift bag drop-offs, gift cards and other signs of support. She added staff work to make Big Hill Lodge the best possible home for residents.
“The people who are there are what make it exciting and engaging and fun and active,” Borschnek said. “That’s what we try to promote— That’s where they come to live and we want them to live to the fullest.”
The 2021-23 Cochrane Budget will be finalized at the Dec. 14 regular council meeting.
