The principal objective of  Villa Alfred Xavier is to increase the "global health" of its resident-members.

To do this,  Villa Alfred Xavier will offer specialized accommodations which will be affordable for the majority of retirees - those who do not qualify for subsidized housing programs and who do not have the "large revenues" to pay for such luxury (condos) by themselves.

Construction will implement recommendations of recent research reports which confirm the need for a healthy environment, flexible, and secure to make it possible for seniors to increase their health, as much on the physical plan as psychic, financial as well as spiritual and... an environment which will enable them to valorize themselves in the eyes of the general public, and to prove that it is not necessary that they be a burden on society.

The updated residential complex design now includes 3 buildings that will house the following elements:

• 30 self-contained apartments
• 29 studios - average surface area (A)
• 33 studios - large surface area (B)
• 30 offices for professional
• 25 commercial spaces
• 16 conference rooms
• 16 reception rooms
• 10 craft rooms
• an exercise room
• a solarium
• a chapel
• three swimming pools (a four-season 100' x50 ' and 2 wading pools)
• a gardening four-season hothouse
• in addition to several other space-activities, as well as many interior parking spaces

VAX will of course offer all the services of traditional residences, that is meals, maintenance of a landscaped environment, nursing assistance, domestic assistance, and others.

VAX, with the participaCtion of its resident-members, will offer products such as vegetables, flowers and fruit from the 4-seasons garden, along with crafts and other goods and services to the local public.  VAX will as well offer commercial services for customers such as a family restaurant and a donut shop (ie. Tim Horton's ?), both open 24hrs a day - 7 days a week, as well as a smoke shop and other facilities. In addition, it will also offer offices for professionals; craft workshops; reception and conference rooms; interior parking; the use of the 4-seasons swimming pool (100' x50 '); as well as the use of the solarium (125' dia.).

Moreover, this new lifestyle concept will offer meal services to the regional public, will collaborate in Community activities and will invite local residents to its own activities, and will exchange services with Community groups in order to animate the lifestyle of these residents.

The studios and room & board units will enable the reaching of more elder people, in addition to being more economical (especially through their construction using pre-manufactured modular methods).

Services and Products

• Accommodations
• Offices
• Commerce
• Services:
  • banquet planning
  • bingo presentation
  • Meals on Wheels
  • crafts
  • gardening
• Remunerative activities
• Security
• Meals
• Maintenance
• Animation
• Member-Services - housekeeping assistance, nursing aid
• Training - internet, computer operations, personal finance, investment, and others

Prices  (tentative as of 12/2000)

• Residences:
  • apartments (722 sq.ft.) @ $950 per month,
    including services, but not meals
  • studio-A (350 sq.ft.) @ $1,200 per month,
    including meals and services
  • studio-B (360 sq.ft.) @ $1,250 per month,
    including meals and services
• Public user fees:  (for non-members)
  • swimming pool @ 5$ per 3-hour period
  • solarium @ 250$ per 4-hour reservation
  • conference-rooms @ 150$ for the day or evening
  • reception rooms @ 50$ for the half-day or evening
  • craft rooms @50$ each 3-hour period
  • public parking @ 250$ by space per year

Site

The design of the modules gives the message, unambiguously, that it is "...an accessible home, welcoming and secure... with elevators, approach ramps... of studios (room & board) including meals, and of apartments... (including kitchenette or kitchen with institutional equipment)... cordial and sunny... with pleasant dimensions and entirely adapted... with balconies..." and which includes "...accessible and open common spaces (dining room, activities rooms, reception area, laundry rooms, storage rooms, terraces and gardens)... and a secure, private and attractively landscaped external environment..." with "...circulation paths that respect privacy and encourage secure walks... and located near commonly used services..."³ such as hospital, shopping centers, bus routes and highway access.

Attraction of commercial activities (family restaurant, Tim Hortons, Sears-ctlg., and others)

Attraction of professional offices (lawyers, dentist, and others)

Attraction of public spaces (swimming pool, solarium, surface of meeting, and others)

Control and execution

The "...selection of tenants... responsibility of Board of Directors... Selection Committee, composed of representatives from the Board of Directors and the Tenants... in order to ensure that the degree of autonomy of the tenants corresponds to the capacity which..." the  Villa Alfred Xavier "...can offer... its services..." and "...preserve the character, quality and internal dynamics..."³.

Admission Criteria