Thursday, July 31, 2014

Notes From The Mayor's Desk: August 2014

What does the approval of the Mountain View Senior's Housing Project mean to Sundre and District?
It means that we are a big step closer to the goal of keeping seniors and their families together in Sundre and District.  Upon completion of this 103-unit facility, seniors and their families throughout Mountain View County will be able to receive the care and housing they deserve.
In Sundre, as in many rural communities in Alberta, when seniors require 24-hour care due to a health crisis, or deteriorating health, they are either cared for in emergency beds in hospital or placed in available care beds in other centers.  The strain on seniors and their families was apparent and the need for higher quality of support for seniors was determined as a need.  The pressure on our own hospital critical care beds was also increasing.
More than 2 years ago, the Sundre Seniors' Care and Housing Committee began advocating for seniors in our community.  They worked very closely with Mountain View Seniors Housing to demonstrate the need in the community and they pressed local and provincial governments to respond to the needs in the community.  Shovels will be in the ground this fall and the doors are expected to open in the summer of 2016.
This is a $26.6 million project that will see the 45 beds at Foothills Lodge (which provide level 1 and level 2 care) moved to these new accommodations.  Along with replacing Foothills Lodge, there will be an additional 40 beds to accommodate 24-hour care (level 4 and 4D).  Level 1 and 2 care is independent living with some assistance while level 4 and 4D is care requiring 24-hour monitoring and assistance.  These new beds will reduce strain on our hospital acute care beds also.  In addition to these 85 beds, there will be 18 independent life style "life lease" units so seniors of all abilities can live together - no matter what their ability - in a "campus of care" complex model.
Mountain View Seniors Housing provides "housing" options for seniors.  They are a "not for profit" organization providing affordable and subsidized housing options.  I pay about $50 per year through my taxes to support MVSH. The ratepayers of Sundre, Didsbury, Olds, Carstairs, Cremona and the County of Mountain View contribute to Mountain View Seniors Housing each year through a requisition.  The residents of the housing facilities pay for their housing - and there is some subsidy for some residents paid for by municipal taxes.
Without the space and staffing for level 4 and 4D care in Sundre, seniors have been placed in available, appropriate beds for their needs in other communities, sometimes very far away.  Although this building will be located in Sundre, it will mean that seniors from all corners of Mountain View County will be able to have options of appropriate care beds in Sundre, Olds and Didsbury when available.  As our population grows older there will be a need for more of these options for seniors.  The Board and staff at Mountain View Seniors Housing will continue working with all communities within the County of Mountain View to provide affordable housing options for seniors.
As always, if you have questions about any of this information, please give me a call at home at 403-638-3535. Thank you for taking the time to read about this very exciting project in our community :)  Thank you to all who worked so hard over the past years to make this dream come true.  Our seniors deserve it.


Mayor Terry Leslie

Friday, July 4, 2014

Notes From The Mayor's Desk: July 2014

It is Canada Day as I write this and I am both grateful and proud today to be able to live where I do, surrounded by so many opportunities, blessings and great people.  We have just "weathered" another June with a typical spring run off.  We had rain for the 35th Anniversary of the Sundre Pro Rodeo Parade but the spirit of everyone in attendance was not dampened.  
The community came together to celebrate Grad 2014 at Sundre High School.  The graduates received unconditional support and encouragement to go do their part to make the world a better place for their future and that of generations to come.  June is such a great month as we get out from under the long winter - finally - and spend time in the outdoors.  It is why we live here.
In June, the teacher in me feels there should be a report card for Council - but I think it would be better if the report card came in the fall - as the election was last fall. Council wants to know how we have been doing. What has changed in the year since last fall?  What needs to change in the next year?
There were some recurring themes and concerns of residents that I heard in the lead up to the election.  There were concerns about taxes, communication, fear of flood in coming years and what could be done to avert it, resolution of cost sharing for water and waste water on the east side, the relationship between Town Council and Mountain View County Council, annexation possibilities on our Town boundaries, the attitude of Council and staff toward "service" to our customers (taxpayers), and how we deal with concerns from the public.  There were some suggestions as to what we might do to improve as well.
To get information for our report card, Council members will be out "where people are" this fall. Watch for us at community and school events.  Stop and let us know your thoughts and ask questions.  We will be asking you to tell us one thing you like, and one thing we need to do better - and we will ask for your grade (an old school grade of A,B,C,D,F).  We will compile a list and report to you about what we find.  We will use your suggestions and your thoughts about what we need to fix to develop our plans for the next year in our Strategic Planning process.
We hope you will take some time to let us know how we are doing and give us some ideas.  Please call me at home at 403-638-3535 if you want to chat about any of the above.
If you are able to take a holiday break in July, on behalf of your Council, I wish you a safe and relaxing holiday.  You deserve it.


Mayor Terry Leslie