Silvera celebrates official opening of Gilchrist Commons in Pineridge

30 September 2022

Gilchrist Commons, Silvera’s newest Supportive Living community, is officially open.

On Sept. 28, Andre Chabot, City Councillor for Ward 10; Douglas Ng, Board Director & Chair of Silvera’s Finance Committee; the Hon. Josephine Pon, Minister of Seniors and Housing; and Mickey Amery, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary-Cross, cut the ribbon with a big pair of ceremonial scissors to officially declare Silvera’s new 115-unit building to be ready for residents.

Kyle Fawcett, Silvera’s Chief External Relations Officer, paid tribute to the tireless advocacy of the late Manmeet Bhullar, then the MLA for Calgary-Greenway, and Yvonne Fritz, the former MLA for Calgary-Cross, for pushing for affordable seniors housing in northeast Calgary.

The brand-new, four-storey Gilchrist Commons in Pineridge welcomed its first residents in August from Silvera’s former Confederation Park community.

This 60+ building features:

  • 115 studio suites with some accessible and barrier free suites
  • 10 multi-purpose rooms, three with outdoor patios and some with fireplaces
  • Two large outdoor courtyards and a rooftop patio
  • A large, bright dining room with vaulted ceiling, with lounge area
  • Laundry facilities
  • Hair salon
  • Grab-and-go bistro with coffee and snacks
  • Heated underground parking and scooter storage

Important services provided at Gilchrist Commons include three meals per day, weekly housekeeping and Life, Learning & Leisure programs, along with access to a Resident Support Coordinator and non-medical employees on-site 24/7.

The community, along with its two neighbouring independent living apartments operated by Silvera, Gilchrist Apartments East and Gilchrist Apartments North, creates a campus providing seniors an affordable way to age in-place. Campus residents may access the services and supports available at Gilchrist Commons, keeping them independent for as long as possible.

“Alberta’s government was proud to provide funding for this project,” said Minister Pon. “Strategic long-term partnerships like ours with Silvera are a key initiative under our Stronger Foundations affordable housing strategy, which will transform the system to put people first, and being more adaptable to local needs.”

The province’s Stronger Foundations strategy, launched last year, will provide safe, stable, affordable housing for an additional 25,000 households, an increase of more than 40 per cent to 82,000 households in 10 years.

Silvera expects Gilchrist Commons to be at capacity by the end of November 2022, with the balance of suites being filled by Valleyview residents and residents from other Silvera communities.

Silvera director Ng concluded the Sept. 28 ceremony by paying tribute to Silvera’s partners, residents and employees.

“Thank you for your patience as we transformed this building into a home,” said Ng. “You waited a long time for this and that did not go unnoticed. In the end, I’m sure we can all agree it was worth the wait.”