I will make local transit free for seniors.

Transportation is directly connected to independence. Seniors need reliable ways to reach appointments, shop, participate in recreation and community activities and stay connected with friends and family.

Bradford West Gwillimbury has already made significant investments in improving local transit. Making local transit free for seniors is a practical way to increase access to a service the community is already providing and encourage greater ridership.

The Town will establish clear eligibility and implementation rules and incorporate the cost into transit planning and the annual operating budget.

I will also continue to support improvements to local transit service and connections to the Bradford GO Station so that seniors and other residents have better options for moving around the community without relying entirely on a car.

For many residents, the snow windrow left across the end of a driveway after a municipal plow passes is an inconvenience. For a senior or someone with a serious mobility limitation, it can become a barrier to leaving the house safely.

I will direct staff to design and implement a targeted windrow-clearing pilot for eligible seniors and residents with disabilities or mobility limitations who cannot reasonably clear the windrow themselves.

The program will not be universal driveway clearing.

It will be designed around clear eligibility criteria and a defined budget so assistance is directed to residents who genuinely need it.

The pilot will examine:

• appropriate age, disability and mobility eligibility criteria
• whether assistance should be limited to households without another able-bodied resident
• an annual registration process
• the number of households likely to participate
• the most cost-effective delivery model
• whether service should be provided through Town equipment, contractors or a combination of both
• appropriate service standards following a snowfall
• annual operating costs and funding options

The pilot will allow the Town to measure actual demand, cost and operational impact before determining whether the service should become permanent or be expanded.

My commitment is to move the idea from discussion to a properly designed and costed service.

The Danube Seniors Leisure Centre has served generations of residents and remains an important part of community life.

As BWG continues to grow, the Town should begin planning now for the facility seniors will need in the future rather than waiting until replacement becomes urgent.

I will begin the planning process for a new seniors leisure centre on the recently acquired lands adjacent to the existing Danube facility.

The planning process will determine:

• future space and programming requirements
• accessibility needs
• recreation, social and community-support spaces
• parking and transportation requirements
• capital and operating costs
• opportunities to reuse or integrate existing assets
• phasing and construction timing
• potential provincial, federal and County funding

The objective during the next term will be to develop a credible facility plan and funding strategy so Council can make an informed decision about the timing and scope of a replacement centre.

A new Danube should be designed around the needs of the next generation of BWG seniors and provide flexible space that can adapt as those needs change.

The Danube lands also create an opportunity to address another growing challenge: affordable housing for seniors who want to remain in Bradford West Gwillimbury.

I will invite the County of Simcoe to work with the Town on the feasibility of incorporating affordable seniors housing into the redevelopment of the Danube site.

The concept would explore a four- to six-storey development combining a modern seniors leisure centre with purpose-built affordable seniors housing.

This could allow our town to:

• make better use of municipally owned land
• create affordable homes designed specifically for seniors
• locate housing alongside recreation and community programming
• help residents remain in Bradford as their housing needs change
• reduce isolation by creating a stronger seniors community hub
• leverage the County’s housing expertise and responsibilities
• pursue senior-government funding that may not otherwise be available to the Town

The Town should not attempt to become a housing provider itself. Simcoe County has the mandate and expertise to develop and operate affordable housing and should be the primary housing partner.

During the next term, I will seek a formal partnership discussion with the County and direct the Town to undertake the planning, servicing and feasibility work needed to determine whether the concept can proceed.

The four- to six-storey concept is intended to establish an appropriate scale for discussion. Final height, unit count, design and cost would be determined through proper planning and community consultation.

The broader principle behind the plan is that municipal services should help seniors remain active participants in community life.

I will ask staff to consider seniors’ independence and accessibility when evaluating services including:

• transit
• snow clearing
• recreation
• parks and public spaces
• facility design
• pedestrian connections
• accessibility
• community programming

That does not mean creating a separate municipal system for seniors. It means recognizing that relatively small changes in how services are designed can make a significant difference in whether residents can continue to use them as they age.

My approach to seniors services will follow the same fiscal discipline I apply elsewhere.

Programs will have defined eligibility, service standards and costs before becoming permanent.

Where senior-government or County partnerships are available, the Town will pursue them before placing the full cost on BWG taxpayers.

Capital projects will proceed only with a clear business case, funding plan and understanding of future operating costs.

Supporting seniors and respecting taxpayers are not competing objectives. Well-designed programs should do both.