Caleb Village is open for business.
The brand-new, $15 million Humboldt retirement community opened its doors to residents on April 1. By the end of last week, about 15 families had already moved in.
"We've got people scheduled to move in every day from now until early May," Caleb spokesperson Ron Folstad said.
The complex includes 94 suites in all, with 42 of those sold as condos and the rest operating as rental units. Sizes vary from 400 square feet for the smallest studio (bachelor) suite, to more than 1,300 square feet for the largest two-bedroom option. A host of sizes and styles (in studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom options) are to be found in between.
All suites include balconies and are air-conditioned.
Caleb broke ground for the Humboldt building on May 4 of last year. Folstad noted that their first attempt at this style of building, in Kindersley, took 17 months to complete, so they're getting faster and more efficient with each new project. The latest, in Tisdale, should go even quicker, assuming the weather cooperates.
"Here, we lost 37 work days due to rain," Folstad said of the Humboldt construction site. "That's an awful a lot for Saskatchewan."
There are still finishing touches to be done on the property, including siding on the building exterior. Landscaping and parking lot paving is scheduled for June, and should only take a week to complete.
As for the condos, Folstad said each resident conducts a walk-through with a Caleb representative prior to moving in, in order to ensure everything is exactly to their specifications.
Basil Mager was conducting just such a walk-through last week, prior to moving his 90-year-old mother, Irene Mager, in from Lake Lenore. Mager said his mom remains in excellent health, but taking care of the family home was getting to be a bit much for her.
"It's harder for her to get around now, and she doesn't drive, so that made it tough for her to get prescriptions or see the doctor," Mager explained. "So we finally convinced her it was time to move.
"With the new health centre opening up just down the road, this is really handy. I'm really excited for her."
Although considerably younger, Ruth Vidak made the same decision for herself, when she decided to relocate to Caleb Village from her home in St. Gregor. She said she's got family here in Humboldt, plus she just didn't want the hassle of having to look after a big house and yard anymore. She certainly doesn't regret her decision.
"It is very nice here," she agreed. "And the staff has been great."
Indeed, the village is ideal for retirees like Vidak and Mager, who are looking for a degree of independence without the work involved in maintaining one's own home. In that regard, Folstad said Caleb Village fills an important niche in Humboldt and other like-sized communities.
"We started looking at building in smaller communities because we keep hearing about how few options there are for older residents," Folstad explained. "There are always assisted living opportunities in places like Regina and Saskatoon, but people don't want to move away from friends and family if they don't have to.
"Their friends are here, and they raised their family here. So every time we go into a community like this, we have a lot of people moving back."
Folstad noted that Humboldt's Caleb Village already has a diverse population, with people moving in from all across Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.
While the amenities of Humboldt are an attraction to those from rural areas, and the new health centre just down the road adds a level of comfort and convenience, the Caleb complex itself is the biggest draw.
The main floor of Caleb Village features everything a resident could want in terms of food and recreation. There's a library with fireplace just past the main entrance, and a billiards room off to the right.
"We had a pool tournament in here yesterday," Folstad noted. "We hope to organize some singles tournaments, and staff-resident tournaments, things like that. It should be a lot of fun."
The sunny dining area is itself a centre for socializing. Residents can choose to purchase a meal card to eat in the dining area whenever they please, although all suites are also equipped with a kitchen. However, with Red Seal-certified chef Marian Rowlette and her staff cooking up offerings like pork cabbage casserole for lunch, it's not likely those kitchens will ever get much use.
"The meals and service are excellent," noted Katie Svab, who moved into Caleb Village the first day it opened, relocating from Middle Lake.
"They're very nutritious, too," agreed Marie Dobmeier, who moved in on April 2.
"The food is good," chirped in Ray Hagen, who moved here from Muenster.
A 24-hour coffee bar stocked with muffins and snacks helps tide residents over in between meals.
Folstad said that meal tickets are also available for visitors, and show suites can be booked if residents have extra guests coming to visit. Cots are also available for overnight guests.
Caleb Group has more than 1,800 rental suites at 16 sites across Western Canada, as well as in Chatham. Ont. Their most recent projects have been in Humboldt, Kindersley and Tisdale.
