B U S I N E S S DEVELOPERS LOVE WATERFRONT FOR SENIORS HOUSING PROJECT
Hawkesbury’s panoramic view of the Ottawa River will be one of key selling points for developers of a proposed seniors condominium project at tne old École Christ-Roi site. —supplied photo
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
the Christ-Roi property, which belongs to the municipality, and are now working on the site plan proposal and other planning documentation needed to satisfy town council and administration and guarantee groundbreaking on the project next spring. Sylvie Raymond is the project leader at present until all the development planning is completed and construction can begin on the project. Once that is accomplished, her sons, Yan and Maxime, will take over responsibility for seeing the project to completion. Concept plan The proposal is for a 251-unit seniors living condominium, with 200 units designed for autonomous and semi-autonomous living, and 51 care units for residents who need some form of nursing care support. The auto- nomous and semi-autonomous units would include a mix of large studio, single- and provincial government’s continued restriction on nonessential business as part of its pandemic protection plan though that is starting to loosen up now under Phase of the Ontario economic recovery plan. The farmers’ market is also following social distancing and other public health guidelines set by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit for its operation. Vendor booths are spaced about two metres apart, there is a “traffic control” limit on the number of people allowed on site to browse, and handwashing stations are set up for use. “It’s a bit more of a challenge,” said Den Boer, “but it was very generous of the health unit to allow us to have a browsing market as well as a curbside service.” But despite all that, the traffic in and out of the farmers’ market was steady and that makes Den Boer and other farmers market members optimistic. “We have a really great variety of produ- cers,” she said. “We have in-season produce, artisanal chicken, pork and smoked meats. We have room for a beef vendor too. Our setup here is really great as a walkable market.” The Vankleek Hill Farmers Market will be open every Saturday. The association has a list of vendors operating on its website along with information on how to do pre-orders for curbside pickup on market day.
two-bedroom apartments. The concept design for the Résidence Hawkesbury project is for two apartment towers of 10 storeys each, plus the main floor area, flanking a single-storey centre block building. The tower apartments would house the 200 autonomous and semi-auto- nomous units, while the centre block building would have the care assistance units. Other amenities planned for the deve- lopment include underground parking, an indoor pool, a small gym, bowling alley, movie theatre, various indoor and outdoor game facilities, a hairdresser, café, and pharmacy. The facility would also have a 24-hour nursing service and an on-call doctor for support of residents in the care unit section of the building. Project proposal Résidence Hawkesbury is the working
title for the project for now. The estimated development cost is between $40 million and $50 million. The town will let the family have the former Christ-Roi property for a dollar with two conditions attached. First is there has to be a “major development” on the site, and the second is that the development must be done within a four-year period.
Grenville was going to be the original location for a new multi-storey seniors retirement condominium project until the developers learned that the Hawkesbury site of the former École Christ-Roi might be available. “I suggested that it be in Hawkesbury,” said Yan Raymond, one of the consulting members for the development outfit, during a June 18 phone interview. “More land, and beautiful waterfront (location).”
Sylvie Raymond and her sons, Yan Ray- mond and Maxime Sévigny, are working together on the proposed multi-storey senior living project. They have an agreement-in-principle with the Town of Hawkesbury for purchase of “It’s a big job to do,” said Sylvie Raymond, “but it will be done as soon as possible.” Raymond is also pleased at having a Hawkes- bury location for the project, something which has become a very personal project for her. “Who doesn’t dream of being on the waterfront?” said the sexagenarian. “I’ll be wanting to go there myself, because there will be security. It will be a place to live and socialize. To me, that’s the most important thing.” VANKLEEK HILL FARMERS MARKET RETURNS FOR 2020 SUMMER
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
Blue sky and hot sunshine marked the official start of summer and also the return of the Vankleek Hill Farmers Market. “It feels good,” said Aartje den Boer, Vankleek Hill Farmers Market Association president, as she relaxed in the shade of her display-and-sale booth. “The weather’s good. It’s a nice start.” The VKH Farmers Market is located at its new site in the parking lot area of the former municipal daycare on Derby Street, adjacent to the Vankleek Manor. The township gave the association permission to use the par- king lot area as a temporary summer loca- tion until the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) allows the farmers market to return to its usual site on the grounds of the Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute. The UCDSB has temporarily suspended all community use of its school properties during the pandemic. The VKH Farmers Market is a bit smaller for now as it is limited to offering just food items for sale, either locally grown in-season vegetables and fruit and locally raised meat, or home-baked goods and other locally made food items like Kevin’s Ice Cream’s specialty ice cream cups. The limitation is part of the
A hot and sunny Saturday marked the first official day of summer and also the official return of the Vankleek Hill Farmers Market as part of Ontario’s Phase 2 economic restart plan for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The new location of the farmers market is the parking lot area of the former municipal daycare on Derby Street, with vendors offering on-site sale of locally produced vegetables, in-season fruit, and meat, along with other food items, all while observing social distancing and other public health safety guidelines. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
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