Seniors Village: Frequently Asked Questions

We're listening and are answering your questions about the University-Integrated Seniors Village, and the long-term care home. This page will be updated regularly with more answers to your frequently asked questions.

Join us May 20, 2021, for one of two information sessions about the Seniors Village for an overview of the Stage 1 Site Plan and the studies supporting the recommendation. Submit your questions to trentlandsplan@trentu.ca or visit our engagement site.

Questions:

Why does Trent want a Seniors Village?
Where will the Seniors Village and Long-term Care home go?
Why did you pick this location?
What is a site plan?
How is my feedback being incorporated?
What approvals are being requested of the City right now?
What is the municipal zoning for this area?
What is the timeframe for community comment on the Stage 1 Site Plan?
How soon will construction start on the long-term care home?
Why an Environmental Impact Brief and not a full Environmental Impact Study? What’s the difference?
What studies were completed as part of the EIB?
How will the wetlands on the site be protected?
How are you protecting species at risk?
I use the trails in that area all the time. Will they be removed?

Answers:

Why does Trent want a Seniors Village?

Building on Trent’s position as a globally recognized age-friendly university, the research expertise in the Trent Centre for Aging & Society, and the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing, the Seniors Village will provide valuable learning opportunities for our students and advance research into aging, while meeting the needs of our community, the third oldest in Canada. The land will be leased to create an annual revenue stream for the University, allowing Trent to invest in students and facilities.

Where will the Seniors Village and Long-term Care home go?

The University-Integrated Seniors Village and the long-term care home will be built on the north-west corner of Water Street and Woodland Drive. Environmental fieldwork, Indigenous engagement, and archaeological studies have been used to inform the limits of development. The sites will be surrounded by the Total Loss Farm Nature Area, which will cover 22 hectares of the 30-hectare site. The long-term care home entrance will be off Woodland Drive, and the Seniors Village entrance will be off Water St.

Why did you pick this location?

This site was selected for a variety of reasons:

Access to the campus: there is an established accessible road for student and resident access to the amenities on the site and on the campus, and to enable a thriving multi-generational community for living and learning.
Access to the community: The site is along Water St, a major roadway, and is serviced by City of Peterborough transit and the new County bus route that connects this site to Selwyn Township and Curve Lake.
Access to servicing: Municipal services, such as power, water and sanitation, are already available at this site enabling the long-term care home to move ahead and bring new beds to the community as quickly as possible.
Access to Nature: The long-term care home and Seniors Village will be surrounded by nature with trails and spaces to gather outside, for residents, the campus, and local community.

Following the Trent Lands & Nature Areas Plan, site study is preceding site design. This work included four-season environmental study, an archaeology survey, and Indigenous engagement to where on the site is most suitable for the Long-Term Care home and the Seniors Village.

What is a site plan?

A site plan is a formal application to the City to develop an area of land. Site plans usually include all of the details of a site, including buildings, services, roadways and parking lots, accompanied by an array of studies that include servicing, hydrology, environmental impact etc. Trent is taking a different approach and breaking the site plan approval into two stages. Stage 1 will establish the development limits taking a landscape-led approach and based on detailed environmental studies. A Stage 2 Site Plan showing detailed building plans, will be submitted by third-party developers at a later date, and must be supported by an array of further studies.

How is my feedback being incorporated?

We are sharing the Environmental Impact Brief, draft Stage 1 Site Plan, and Natural Heritage Compensation Plan with the campus, community, and partners for information, to answer any questions about the study results and the development limits (Subject Lands A & B) within the larger site. All comments will be reviewed by the consultants to help clarify or expand elements of the report and draft site plan, before a final submission is made to the City of Peterborough in early June.

The next phase of the project will include engagement and visioning for the Seniors Village and long-term care home. Feedback and ideas will help ensure the design of the buildings and the surrounding landscaping meets the needs of future residents and our community at large.

What approvals are being requested of the City right now?

The City of Peterborough will be asked to approve a Stage 1 Site Plan that outlines two development parcels, an expanded natural area and the Natural Heritage Compensation Plan. A Stage 2 Site Plan showing detailed building plans, will be submitted by third-party developers at a later date, and must be supported by an array of further studies.

What is the municipal zoning for this area?

Under the City of Peterborough Zoning By-law, the area is zoned University and College District. This supports uses that advance research, teaching and associated uses related to the University. As a research and teaching arrangement is fundamental to the vision for the long-term care home and will be a focus for the Seniors Village as well, these uses are permitted within the zoning.

What is the timeframe for community comment on the Stage 1 Site Plan?

We have opened the draft Stage 1 Site Plan for public information for 3 weeks. Questions and comments are being accepted until May 30 and a final Stage 1 Site Plan will be submitted to the City in June. Once the development limits are approved, peopleCare will initiate public engagement to design the long-term care home and site, and conduct the studies necessary to submit a Stage 2 Site Plan to the City for approval. These additional phases will also include public engagement.

How soon will construction start on the long-term care home?

A start date for construction on the long-term care home is yet to be determined and depends on approvals of the more detailed site planning and design work from the City of Peterborough and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Once the Stage 2 Site Plan and the building plans are approved, construction on the long-term care home can begin. The home should be completed approximately 18-months from the construction start date.

Why an Environmental Impact Brief and not a full Environmental Impact Study? What’s the difference?

An Environmental Impact Study (EIS) assess potential negative impacts of a development. This work is done after a detailed site plan, outlining buildings, roadways, parking lots and servicing, is complete.

Trent is taking a new, landscape-led approach to campus developments. Through this approach, environmental studies are done first to determine appropriate development limits. An Environmental Impact Brief (EIB) was conducted for the Seniors Village location. An EIB documents the natural heritage of the area to determine where habitats and natural features need to be retained on the landscape.

What studies were completed as part of the EIB?

As an outcome of early engagement with the Michi Saagiig Land Resource Consultation Officers, a four-season field program was implemented to characterize natural heritage features and associated functions on and adjacent to (within 120 m) the site. Completed environmental studies include:

Winter Mammal Tracking;
Owl Callback Surveys;
Ecological Land Classification (ELC);
Three-season Botanical Inventory;
Breeding Bird Surveys;
Calling Amphibian Surveys, with specific consideration for Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata);
Bat Habitat Assessment and Acoustic Monitoring;
Incidental Wildlife Sightings;
General Wildlife Habitat Assessment;
Botanical Inventories and Ecological Land Classification;
Wetland Characterization;
Salamander Habitat Assessment;
Amphibian Call Count Surveys;
Turtle Basking and Nesting Surveys;
Snake Transect Surveys;
Breeding Bird Surveys;
Insect Surveys;
Bat Acoustic Monitoring Surveys;
Headwater Drainage Feature Assessment; and
Aquatic Habitat Assessment.

How will the wetland be protected?

The Symons campus supports a hydrologic system that effectively filters and infiltrates water into the ground, providing inputs to groundwater sources and improving water quality before it enters into the river. The resilience of this system ensures a healthy watershed and beautiful natural places to explore, learn from, and enjoy. Wetlands are an important hydrogeological feature and the University has taken a number of proactive steps to protect wetlands, their fish and wildlife habitats and the species who call wetlands home.

Through the environmental work as part of the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan, we confirmed that chorus frogs inhabit the wetland on Water Street, across from the Seniors Village location. To protect the frogs and their habitat, Trent expanded the Lock 22 Nature Area to encompass a former potential development parcel to protect the chorus frogs and their habitat.

All wetlands on campus are presumed to be provincially significant, and the environmental studies and the Stage 1 Site Plan for the Seniors Village take this into account. As a first step, the development limits were refined and 2D/Subject Lands A (Seniors Village) and 2C/Subject Lands B (Long-Term Care Home) will be accessible by existing roadways, eliminating the need to build such infrastructure over sensitive natural features. The environmental consultants are submitting their work to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests to support a formal evaluation of the wetland, helping expand the feature's protection.

In addition to careful and thoughtful design and layout of the long-term care home and Seniors Village, the development limits were informed by the natural features, like the wetland. The development limits are set back from natural areas and the Total Loss Farm Nature Areas has been expanded to add further protection to the wetland. When construction begins, environmental protections and monitoring will be put in place to ensure the protection of the wetland and surrounding areas.

Stage 2 site planning (how the buildings and infrastructure on the site are laid out) will also take into account (and will need to demonstrate through studies) the protection of the wetlands.

How are you protecting species at risk?

The proposed development limits were established to avoid habitat for species at risk (SAR). The natural heritage restoration plan includes actions for enhancing SAR habitats within the expanded Total Loss Farm Nature Area.

The following SAR exist on the landscape around the proposed development limits:

Monarch Butterfly is classified as Special Concern in Ontario and Endangered in Canada. Common Milkweed, the Monarch’s host breeding plant, was is sporadically present within cultural meadow and savannah communities in the area. Planting more Common Milkweed will attract more Monarch to the area.

Tri-coloured Bat is listed as federally endangered, was heard during the bat surveys done in the area. Bat species are primarily using the area for foraging habitat although there is a potential to support roosting habitat. The restoration activities are expected to provide an overall benefit to local bat populations. Over the short term, enhanced foraging habitat (e.g., retained wetlands, meadow habitats and restoration sites) will attract a greater abundance and diversity of preferred insects including flies, bugs, butterflies, and moths and seed mixes applied throughout the restoration areas will include nectaring species to further attract local insect populations and increase bat foraging. An increase of native tree species will support increased availability of suitable roost sites, as compared to the existing cultural plantation.

Eastern Wood-Pewee is a species of Special Concern in Ontario. One bird was observed in the Total Loss Farm Nature Area. As Eastern Wood-Pewee is known to inhabit conifer mixed with deciduous stands, potentially suitable habitat for this species on the Total Loss Farm Nature Area is considered extensive. Through the site plan, the Total Loss Farm Nature Area is being expanded, protecting the Eastern Wood-Pewee's habitat on the property.

Wood Thrush is listed as a species of Special Concern in Ontario. While one Wood Thrush was heard in the cultural plantation during field study, this type of woodlot does not offer suitable nesting or breeding habitat. Their preferred, higher quality habitat that supports breeding can be found in the Total Loss Farm Nature Area and in the Lock 22 Nature Area across Water Street. In addition, habitat occupied by Eastern Wood-Pewee in the Total Loss Farm Nature Area is also expected to provide suitable habitat for Wood Thrush.

Bobolink are identified as Threatened in Ontario and one male was observed within suitable habitat associated with a hayfield along the western boundary of the site, however no suitable habitat exists within the Total Loss Farm Nature Area and or the development sites.

Eastern Meadowlark is considered Threatened in Ontario and one male was observed within suitable habitat associated with a hayfield along the western boundary of the site, however no suitable habitat exists within the Total Loss Farm Nature Area or the development sites.

Chorus Frogs are federally listed as a species at risk. Through the environmental work as part of the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan, we confirmed that chorus frogs inhabit the wetland on Water Street, across from the Seniors Village location. To protect the frogs and their habitat, Trent expanded the Lock 22 Nature Area to encompass a former potential development parcel to protect the chorus frogs and their habitat. Chorus Frog habitat exists within the Total Loss Farm Nature Area and along waterways outside of the development limits. All wetland features and associated amphibian breeding habitat on the site will be retained, ensuring there is suitable habitat in the area ongoing.

I use the trails in that area all the time. Will they be removed?

There may be some modifications to the informal trails within the area as the long-term care home and Seniors Village come to life. Connection with the environment is important for physical and mental health, and an expanded trail system will be included in site design and through the expanded Total Loss Farm Nature Area. If trail access is disrupted during construction, we invite you to explore the other trail networks on the Symons campus.