Expansion proposed for Golden Leisure Lodge

PONOKA -- A seniors' housing facility in Ponoka is slated for a major expansion.

The renovations are being pursued by the Rimoka Housing Foundation, which says it's looking to add a single-storey extension to the Golden Leisure Lodge in Ponoka. According to the foundation, the 17,300 sq. ft. extension would include twenty-five new units for residents, as well as a new 1,050 sq. ft. amenity space.

Of the new units being proposed, it's noted that twenty-four of these would be studio-type units (550 sq. ft) and one would be a corner unit (1,120 sq ft). In their report, the Rimoka Housing Foundation adds that the extension will be connected to the building's existing corridors, which will give residents access to the building's already existing amenities. The expansion would bring the total number of units at the facility from seventy-seven to more than one hundred.

As part of the expansion, the organization plans to also install twenty additional parking spaces through the expansion of the parking lot. This would bring the plans in line with the Town of Ponoka's land use bylaw parking requirements. 

Preliminary cost estimations for the project have come in between $5.4 and $7.3 million. The foundation notes that this would include the above-grade construction costs for independent seniors' housing and related soft costs to complete the project.

The Rimoka Housing Foundation has been operating seniors' and low-income housing facilities across Ponoka County since 1960. In a statement, they say they're committed to delivering on their mission through five core pillars: lodges, independent apartments, a life lease facility, low-income housing, and rent subsidy programs.