Piper Creek Foundation in Red Deer is excited at funding news from the province yesterday that will help get the ball rolling on plans to replace the Piper Creek Lodge.
 
The $250,000 investment will help with initial plans and architectural drawings for a new facility, which would feature a more integrated design where seniors can move in at a relatively young age and be the last home they ever have to move into.

Executive Director Geoff Olson says improvements are needed when looking at the offering of units in the current Lodge “we’re really working with the government to come up with a design that meets the needs of seniors, that gives them some space that they can live in. As you can imagine the current residents are almost living in a hospital room some of the suites are so small. So we really want to change with the times and have a building that is as innovative as Piper Creek Lodge was 60+ years ago”.

Olson says there's a big need for more seniors housing options in Red Deer “our low income seniors have so few options in this City, it was probably the only good thing that happened when the economy slowed down, as rents didn’t increase as fast. Desperately need this type of facility in the City and we’re really looking forward to getting it going”.
 
The Piper Creek Foundation would like to build the replacement Lodge on the land of the former Red Deer Nursing Home and they continue to work with the province on a land transfer.