Sakaw Seniors' Housing

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In 2009, the 1.27 ha vacant school building site at 5803 Mill Woods Road South in Sakaw was declared surplus by local school boards and subsequently approved by City Council in 2012 for development into seniors’ housing. The City has selected Greater Edmonton Foundation (GEF) Seniors Housing, an experienced seniors' housing provider, to develop and operate housing on this site.

The new seniors’ housing complex will only be developed on the 1.27 ha portion of the overall site that was previously set aside for a school building. The remaining 8.23 ha of planned open space surrounding the housing development will be retained by the City and continue to serve sports, recreation and community uses as identified in the original Neighbourhood Structure Plan.

Sakaw Surplus School Site Seniors Housing Image

What's Being Built?

The 1.27 ha vacant school building site will be developed by the GEF Seniors Housing into a 158-suite affordable seniors complex. The building, known as Sakaw Terrace, will contain both apartments and lodge rooms, along with the following amenities:

A commercial kitchen
Two courtyards and a communal greenhouse
A salon
An exercise facility
A tuck shop
A theatre room, and
Underground parking

The $42.7 million development is enabled with the following funding support:

$20 million in provincial funding
$4.2 million in City Cornerstones funding
$2.5 million in City land value
$1.1 million from GEF Seniors Housing
$15 million mortgage

Why Seniors' Housing?

Edmonton's established neighbourhoods have changed over time and continue to evolve. The City must keep these neighbourhoods thriving by providing diverse housing options for residents with various housing preferences and needs. Effectively using land and infrastructure no longer required for schools is one way the City is helping to provide Edmontonians with more housing choices.

We need more seniors’ housing as Edmonton’s population ages. In 2006, one in five Edmontonians were over the age of 55. By 2041, one in three residents will be over 55. Surplus school sites dedicated for seniors' housing have access to public transit and are near parks and amenities. Seniors' housing on these sites will allow many seniors to downsize from detached homes while remaining in their community, close to their friends and within a familiar neighbourhood.

Edmonton needs more affordable housing for seniors on fixed incomes. The Sakaw Terrace seniors complex will provide units for those needing both affordability and accessibility.

Construction

Construction on the Sakaw Terrace seniors complex started in November 2016 and is expected to be complete in Winter 2018. For updates, questions or concerns about the Sakaw Terrace project, please get in touch with the GEF Seniors Housing through the Sakaw Terrace facebook group or the following contact information:

GEF Seniors Housing
Phone: 780-482-6561
Email: communications@gef.org
Website: gef.org and gefcommunityconnections.com

Sports Field Bookings

The City and GEF Seniors Housing know that soccer is important in this area and the location where the seniors complex is being constructed has a long history of being where so many neighbourhood children grew up playing.

While the two temporary soccer fields that were located on the Sakaw Terrace site will no longer be available during construction and after the seniors complex opens, the three other soccer fields and three baseball diamonds on the Sakaw school park site will remain usable.

The soccer field (#4) adjacent to the construction site has been relocated and configured a safe distance away from the construction site and will be ready when sports fields open for the season. Due to wet conditions, the sports field opening date for the season has been pushed back to May 8, 2017.

For more information or questions about sports fields bookings please email sportsfieldbookings@edmonton.ca or call 780-442-4548.

Tenant Applications

GEF Seniors Housing will begin accepting applications to Sakaw Terrace’s waiting list in the fall of 2017.

Public Engagement

The City and GEF Seniors Housing engaged local residents and community groups to gather their input on the design of this project.

November 2014 - A public meeting in November 2014 gathered feedback from residents about more detailed architectural designs. For more details on this meeting, see the meeting display boards.

May 26 and September 11, 2014 - Public meetings were held to discuss the project with residents and interested stakeholders, and gather initial feedback. Attendees provided valuable input on the potential design of the development and desired amenities.

Sakaw Design Options - Sept 11, 2014 Meeting
What We Heard - Community Feedback
Sakaw Neighbourhood Map
Sakaw Meeting Overview - Sept 11, 2014
Community Meeting Display Boards

Frequently Asked Questions

Please refer to GEF Seniors Housings’ Sakaw Terrace Facebook group or visit the City’s surplus schools site frequently asked questions page.