Local developers Al Janke and Wayne Hein are proposing to revitalize a seniors independent living facility in downtown Weyburn, and are hoping they can garner enough interest to make the project a go.
The deal won鈥檛 happen if there isn鈥檛 enough interest, said Janke, and he warns it鈥檚 likely this kind of facility won鈥檛 happen again in Weyburn if they can鈥檛 make a go of it.
If their venture is successful, the building formerly known as The Lofts and Liberty Manor, will be renamed as Wheatfield Place. It is located at the corner of Fourth Street and Souris Avenue, with 17 suites ranging in size from roughly 700 to 1,000 square feet.
Janke admits he wasn鈥檛 looking to get in on a real estate deal at all, as at first it was just mentioned in passing that this building was for sale.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have any interest whatsoever in owning commercial property any more,鈥� he said, but with the inability to travel due to COVID restrictions, he鈥檚 thought about the venture more and thinks it could fill a real need in Weyburn.
Janke said he鈥檚 had both parents in nursing homes at different times, but thinks there should be an alternative to a senior just needing some help or living in a long-term care home.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a revolutionary concept, it鈥檚 not new, and in fact we had one in Weyburn. After hearing how much it was missed and how much it is needed after it closed, I thought it would be well embraced,鈥� he said.
Wheatfield Place would not be a nursing home or a condominium, but an independent living facility that includes a common room for dining and activities, heated parking, and the provision of meals, weekly suite cleaning, including washing of towels and linens.
鈥淣ot surprisingly the interest has been phenomenal, and the positive feedback has been 100 per cent,鈥� said Janke.
鈥淭he problem however is the lack of commitment, with the most used statement being, 鈥業鈥檓 not ready鈥�,鈥� he added, noting that he and his partner would like to see at least 70 per cent occupancy before they will proceed with this project.
鈥淭he words of the very first guy to sign up were, 鈥榠f you guys don鈥檛 get this going, Weyburn will never see it again鈥�,鈥� said Janke.
Janke thinks the overbuilt condo market is partly to blame for people鈥檚 reluctance to commit to a project like this, as those who may now need this kind of facility need to first sell their condo unit.
There are a total of 17 one and two-bedroom units available, and Janke said their benchmark is to have 11 spoken for by March 15 in order for the facility to proceed.
鈥淚f we do not reach our 70-per-cent goal, the project will be abandoned and your cheque returned,鈥� said Janke.
The building would be locally owned and operated, so the money won鈥檛 go to a company in Eastern Canada or the U.S. The facility is being offered as an alternative to having a senior go to a nursing home, or to have to move to Regina for a similar kind of accommodation.
If anyone would like a tour of the suites available, they can contact Wayne Hein at 306-421-9555.
