Client: Town of Cochrane
Location: Cochrane, Ontario
Size: N/A
JLR was retained by the Town of Cochrane (Town) to prepare a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to encourage residential development and growth within the settlement area of Cochrane. The Town is is experiencing a demographic shift as 20.6 % of its population is over the age of 65.
There is a lack of housing in the Town, and there are not many opportunities for older adults in the Town to transition from single-detached dwellings to other housing types (e.g., co-operative living, apartments [condominium or rental], assisted care living, etc.). This also impacts younger families, as older adults are unable to downsize, and as a result the local housing stock is caught in a kind of “grid lock”. While supporting older adults to age-in-place in their existing homes, it is also important to provide opportunities for them to transition to other housing types in the community.
This finding came from feedback received at a public open house on the CIP. With some older adult residents expressing that the continued maintenance associated with a detached dwelling can pose challenges and communal environment can provide for social contacts that may weaken in a single-detached setting.
Through the feedback received from the public and stakeholders throughout the CIP planning process, JLR integrated these findings into the final CIP to create a plan that meets the needs of current and future residents—providing housing solutions for all. Furthermore, JLR facilitated a workshop with Council on the implementation of and phasing of the plan.
