No Misery, lots of company

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This article was published 28/02/2024 (822 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Lila and Forbes Powell, the choice to live in West Broadway was about being closer to family in the city.

The former Grandview residents were among the first tenants when they moved into Misericordia Terrace in September.

“Rather than having our family drive out to Grandview when we needed help, we came to this place,” Lila, 85, said.

Her daughter Lisa lives nearby and spotted Misericordia Terrace’s sign during construction. She relayed a message about the build to her parents.

Now, she walks to 691 Wolseley Ave. to visit.

On Tuesday, the Powells — who walk and do stairs to stay active — trekked past neighbours drinking from champagne flutes, celebrating the complex’s grand opening. It’s the area’s first independent-living centre and the 10-storey building attaches to the Misericordia Health Centre via skywalk.

“There’s value in community living,” Caroline DeKeyster, Misericordia Health Centre’s president, told a crowd. “It is essential, and it is part of the foundation that we’re building.”

Planning on the tower begun around 2015. The federal government spent at least $25.8 million on affordable seniors housing units; there are 30. Overall, the building houses 97 rental suites.

Wolseley, West Broadway, The Gates and River Heights are nearby, staff at the Misericordia Terrace highlighted. Businesses in the area welcomed the development.

“I think it’s great,” Athina Parasidis, owner of The Nook Diner, said of the residence. “I think people need somewhere to go where they’re going to be safe.”

The Nook operates across the street. It hasn’t noticed a drastic increase in customers since the living centre’s opening, but staff sometimes come by for a meal, Parasidis said.

The extra residents have not gone unnoticed at nearby Decadence Chocolates.

“It’s always good to have… (new) buildings up for extra people in the neighbourhood,” said Lauren Willems, a staff member at the chocolateria.

She’s noticed a couple of customers from Misericordia Terrace stop by. It’s nice to have the back-lane free of construction again, she said.

“What I’m thinking is, they want to… get more people that can walk around the area,” Willems said.

Misericordia Terrace is 50 per cent rented, according to Cliff Olson, the non-profit’s executive director. It employs some 20 staff.

There’s a full-service kitchen and residents’ rent includes the cost of meals.

A grand piano stands in the dining room. Exercise classes and movie nights fill the entertainment rotation.

“There’s a misconception in the community about being ready, and what constitutes being ready to live in something like an independent residence,” Olson said. “I think society as a whole needs to rethink that.

“Is (this) a nursing home, is it a care home? No, it’s not,” Olson said. “It’s really an apartment building with extras.”

Monthly rent ranges from $2,250 to $3,200 for a single person, with living space between 490 and 875 sq. ft. Prices increase $610 when two residents occupy one unit.

Subsidized units cost $2,167 and $2,303 monthly.

“We are not for profit, so we’re not here having to balance the needs of our residents against the needs of profit,” Olson told a crowd, which included Misericordia Terrace renters, at Tuesday’s celebration.

He declined to say how much the tower’s construction cost.

Residents must be at least 55 years old and independent. Some tenants come with their wheelchairs and walkers.

The former Misericordia Education and Resource Centre was demolished to make room for the assisted living centre. A 2014 report had outlined better uses for the resource centre, when it needed at least $7 million in repairs to be up to code.

The Misericordia Health Centre also has Misericordia Place, a 100-bed personal care home.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com