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Developer eyes Orangeville for seniors’ housing

June 26, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS

A proposed housing development in Orangeville could provide almost 200 housing units for senior citizens.

Angela Mariani is a development planner with Nautical Lands Group involved in affordable housing for seniors. She spoke to council on behalf of Wellings of Orangeville Inc. which is part of an entity that has presences in Ontario and Alberta municipalities.

Mariani described plans the group has for a vacant piece of land at the Third Street and Fourth Avenue intersection, behind the Zehrs grocery store, during Orangeville Town Council’s meeting on June 23.

Amendments to the Town’s Official Plan and zoning bylaw are needed to allow a housing development there.

The space is comprised of two properties known as 54-56 and 60 Third Street.

The land is a little more than nine acres owned by an outfit called Choice Properties but Wellings of Orangeville is leasing the space.

The proponents hope to construct a four-storey building with 76 housing units and 20 townhouse blocks with 100 housing units.

That’s 176 housing units, new to Orangeville. For anyone who’s wondering about parking, Mariani said the housing units bring with them 231 total parking spaces and 42 bike spaces.

“The community is for independent seniors’ living,” she said. “Each of the units has [a] stove, fridge, dishwasher, washer, dryer.”

Access to the apartment building and townhouse dwellings will be provided via an internal private road with proposed access points on Third Street and Fourth Avenue.

Mariani said it will be a housing development geared toward senior citizens 55 and older. The apartment building would contain internal amenities such as a restaurant and bar, a health club, and personal service facilities.

The apartment building will be built first with townhouse blocks to follow in phases. She said the development will also create as many as 40 possible full- and part-time permanent jobs.

“We do have a kitchen staff and 24-hour concierge within the building,” she said.

The effort started with meetings between municipal staff and the developer in July 2021, April 2023, and June last year.

The application was given a staff nod of approval on May 23.

“We think this is a great location for our type of development with active seniors to access the commercial sites as well as the (Rotary) Park in behind and the residential (area) located directly across on the other side of the street,” Mariani said.

The Official Plan amendment is needed to designate the land from commercial to residential.

Third Street resident Tony Bellissimo feels the area has changed in many ways over the years and traffic has become a concern.

“I just feel that (the development) is going to bring more traffic,” he said. “I’ve witnessed people getting home from work and trying to back into their driveways and they’re getting horns honking at them and stuff.”

Mariani said a traffic study has been prepared for the area. They’re housing developments typically don’t add to traffic volumes at peak times.

Orangeville resident Matthew Smith said he didn’t find any indication of sidewalks on the east side of Third Street or Fourth Street’s south side on site plans.

“If this is going to be a pedestrian-focused area, I think that’s something that is going to need to be considered,” he said.

Tim Kocialek, the town’s infrastructure services general manager, said sidewalks and bus stop locations would be considerations for any required off-site developments.

“There’s also discussion about having a round-about at the intersection of Third and Fourth,” Kocialek said. “So that’ll be considered as part of any property requirements.”

Another Orangeville resident who owns a pair of properties on Third Street expressed traffic concerns that may stem from the proposed development.

“I think it’s a great idea that we’re going to get housing over there,” she said. “I’d rather housing than more retail happening over there.”

However, she said, Hansen Boulevard needs to be opened up as a traffic bypass. It’s something that’s planned to happen with the completion of a separate housing development on that side of town.

“Our street is like a freeway,” she said. “You can’t get in, you can’t get out, you can’t back into your driveway.”

She asked if the proposed development would provide affordable housing, especially given Orangeville’s “exorbitant” property taxes.

Mariani said the housing units will be rented, but they won’t qualify as affordable.

“But we do try to be at least 20 per cent lower than our competitors,” she said. “We are all facing the same crisis when it comes to construction. The cost of construction is very high. The cost of land is very high.”

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