More options needed for Schomberg arena

November 19, 2013 · 0 Comments

Regarding “Community and Care Complex proposed for old Schomberg Arena,” is this really the best we can do? Putting what is essentially a nursing home on a prime piece of property right in the centre of town?
First, I should mention that I keep hearing about how “innovative” this idea is and how it’s a first for Canada, but I’ve yet to hear from anyone about what specifically makes it so innovative. I’m not being facetious here, I’m honestly in the dark about what makes the proposal so innovative as numerous people involved have been quoted as saying. It sounds like a lot of other nursing homes, seniors residences and long-term care facilities that already exist.
My other issue is that I thought the whole driver behind the town holding onto the land and not selling it to developers was so that it could be developed into something that benefits the whole community. Who exactly, other than the residents, will this facility benefit? And when put in that context, how is this any different than selling the land to a developer who would build homes? You’re simply trading one demographic for another.
And given that King Township had one of the oldest demographics in the GTA I would’ve liked to see us trying to attract younger residents rather than older. For the record I was never in favour of selling the land to a developer but I don’t see how this proposal is much different.
I want to add that I realize due process was followed and that this was the only proposal that came in through the RFP. But does that mean that we go full steam ahead with the only proposal we were given even if it is lackluster? Maybe the process itself was flawed.
I know I’m probably coming across as being insensitive to the needs of seniors and I don’t mean to (my own parents are entering that phase of their lives), but after being excited about the possibility of something being built that would be truly community-centric and benefit all residents including me and my young family, forgive me for being a little underwhelmed by what we’ve come up with.
Giuseppe Rosati