The politicians of the District of Muskoka turned down an Ontario Provincial fire code requirement for water sprinkle on the first floor of a building owned and operated by the District of Muskoka. This requirement was recommended by the Fire Inspector for Bracebridge in a facility that is occupied by disabled senior citizens on the first floor. For these local politicians to turn it down is downright SHAMEFUL, right?!
One of these disabled seniors has resided there for about 30 years, another person has no legs, and all these disabled senior citizens receive day care. Turning it down by these politicians shows a disregard of the Fire Code and also a significant disregard for the absolute care of disabled senior citizens in Muskoka.
What is amusing is these local Muskoka politicians want to move these disabled senior citizens to another location BUT without saying where. This is totally disrespectful to all the disabled people that have resided in Bracebridge facility for many years. This would be very disruptive for these disabled people and also the relationships they have developed with other people in this local facility.
A back of the envelope calculation shows it would be less expensive for Muskoka District employees to install a water sprinkler system on the first floor than moving them elsewhere. Where is the compassion of the local Muskoka politicians?
Other people, including me, want these disabled seniors to remain in the current facility with a water sprinkler installed on the first floor of this facility! It is the RIGHT Thing to do!!!
On behalf of many concerned Muskoka residents, we are demanding that Muskoka District politicians “Just Do It”.
Tom Millar
Muskoka
Don’t miss out on Doppler!Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox six times per week!
Click here to support local news
The following is a letter sent to the District Chair and council. It may provide some context re: the Oakwood units in question.
issues surrounding Oakwood Heights, in particular, eight barrier free units housing tenants who receive on site 24/7 services from The Friends agency.
As I am sure you are aware, Fire Prevention Officer Kevin Plested has identified the eight units as a “Care Home” requiring a sprinkler system for safety. This has prompted Muskoka Housing staff to engage with tenants of these units to urge them to find other permanent accommodation, promising them that moving costs would be covered by the District of Muskoka as well as ensuring that a rent top-up would be provided in whatever new rental space they can find. Given the physical challenges and care needs of these tenants, finding appropriate, barrier free space will pose a significant challenge especially in light of the ongoing housing availability issues faced not only by the District of Muskoka, but by the province in general.
District staff have explained to tenants that if a sprinkler system were to be installed, that the time and disruption to tenants would be significant.
Initially, District staff indicated that installing the sprinkler system would take six months, but at a later meeting, amended this estimate to twelve to eighteen months.
In Parry Sound, the District of Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board, had a sprinkler system installed in a 55 unit seniors’ building much like Oakwood Heights in terms of age and construction. Seniors were moved to hotel accommodation and the entire system was installed within a six month window. Please note – despite the fact that this seniors’ building was not identified as a “Care Home” the DSSAB invested in a sprinkler system for the entire building. Similarly. at The Friends’ Forest Hill site, a sprinkler system was installed for all 31 units with little or no disruption to tenants. As Muskoka District Housing is proposing to install a sprinkler system for only 8 units, not the entirety of units at Oakwood Height one has to wonder at the expanding timelines for installation given the experience of other housing providers.
I have indicated to Tom Fortier that, if the District takes a staged approach to the sprinkler system, ie two units at a time, The Friends agency would be willing to temporarily relocate two tenants at a time to our apartment complex in Parry Sound. This would mean no disruption in service delivery and a safe temporary space for the affected tenants.
During the meeting with Oakwood Heights tenants, It was also made clear to the eight residents, that it is the District’s goal to “return the eight units to Muskoka Housing”. For the record, the eight accessible units have never been taken away from the District. What is meant, is that District Housing simply wants to rent to tenants who do not require supportive services. Removing supportive services from these eight units will mean that Muskoka’s very meagre availability of barrier free units with 24/7 supportive services will be reduced to “0”.
These units came into being in the late 1980’s through an organization called Access Muskoka. In 1995 Access Muskoka was no longer able to manage the 24/7 support services and asked The Friends, an agency that provides RGI barrier free housing and 24/7 services in Parry Sound to take over the service delivery. As such, The Friends agency is providing an Ontario Health funded program to the residents of these eight units (www.thefriends.on.ca). I would welcome you to The Friends housing in Parry Sound with interested colleagues to better understand the program and services.
In the recent ALC committee terms of reference, the lack of diverse housing options in Muskoka and the pressure to have appropriate alternatives was referenced:
“Patients who don’t need to be in hospital because they need a different level of care (Alternate Level of Care, or ALC patients) frequently make up greater than 30% of the inpatients at MAHC hospitals; at the same time, the demand for various forms of seniors housing that include care in Muskoka far outstrips the supply.
Muskoka has a higher than average percentage of senior citizens in its population. In the 2021 census, 28.3% of the Muskoka population was 65 or older, compared to 18.5% in Ontario as a whole (Statscan, 2021).
A range of care environments are needed to support ALC capacity: LTC, Assisted Living, residential care for physical/mental disability, as well as increased, sustainable and affordable home supports for those wishing to remain in their home
Despite the above facts, Muskoka District Housing is determined to remove the supportive services currently attached to these eight units.
I
The Friends staff have indicated to clients that they have rights as tenants and have connected both with the agency’s legal counsel as well as Lake Country Legal Clinic to ensure that these vulnerable individuals have the information and protections they may need at this time.