KinVillage is looking to the future through a master planning process that’s now three years in the making.
Last Thursday, representatives from CPA Development Consultants and KinVillage staff presented a draft plan at an open house.
The master plan aims to responsibly manage the central Tsawwassen site over the next 15 to 20 years, said Graham Plant, development manager with CPA Development Consultants, who were hired by the KinVillage board to complete the planning process.
Plant said the proposed master plan outlines new buildings and an expansion of the services that KinVillage provides.
“There are lots of potentials and a lot of possibilities with this proposed plan,” he said. “There is the potential of enhanced seniors’ housing, potential expansion of residential care and a more comprehensive and well thought out site plan to serve both KinVillage and community members.”
Plant said the idea behind the open house was to get some feedback from the public on what it liked and disliked. The plan was also presented to the KinVillage board during an internal session earlier in the day.
“We’ve heard that KinVillage is an excellent provider of care. We’ve heard that KinVillage is a hub for the community. We’ve heard parking is a concern both in KinVillage and the surrounding area. We’ve heard a great appreciation for green space and wanting to encourage more green space in the future. We’ve heard there is a need for the type of services KinVillage provides,” said Plant.
“Residents and community members feel that what KinVillage does is important and they want to continue to provide those services and expand them and respond to the changing community needs. Housing and health care for seniors continues to evolve and KinVillage wants to be prepared to respond to those needs.”
KinVillage is currently made up of four residential buildings offering various levels of senior care, while the fifth building is a community centre.
“For some of us, it’s hard to imagine how you can re-build buildings when you are constrained with our land, so I think it’s easier when you can see the master plan and that it is visually possible to replace buildings over time and what we would need to do to accomplish that,” said Kin Village CEO Donna Ellis.
As Kin Village significantly depends on government funding, the need for a well thought out master plan will be critical when it comes time to apply for funding, she said.
“I’m certainly encouraged by what I have seen,” added Ellis. “We are a long ways away from construction, but getting the plan in place that the community likes, and our board likes, is a critical step in our planning process. It allows us to be proactive and when funding opportunities present themselves, we can be ready to respond.”
