University District adds 240-unit seniors' residence to northwest community

A new state-of-the-art seniors’ living facility will add to the diverse housing options available in Calgary’s University District. Cambridge Manor, a 240-unit seniors’ residence, is being developed by West Campus Development Trust in tandem with the Brenda Strafford Foundation. The 217,000-square-foot building breaks ground in early 2018 and is set to open in 2020. 

“This will be a tremendous addition to the University District, not only for the residents who will live there, but also as a research opportunity for the University of Calgary,” says Bill Ghali, scientific director of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health, which houses the Brenda Strafford Centre on Aging.

The Brenda Strafford Centre on Aging currently taps into expertise in the faculties of nursing, kinesiology, social work and the Cumming School of Medicine with a goal of engaging the entire campus community for a multi-disciplinary approach to aging.

Future residents of Cambridge Manor can expect to enjoy a thoughtfully designed, innovative complex that will provide more than a lively community for residents and seniors. West Campus Development Trust’s vision for University District creates a unique opportunity for innovation that will enhance residential living, and aims to transform seniors’ care and services in Alberta, nationally and internationally.

“With Alberta's senior population expected to reach one in five by 2031, Cambridge Manor will help address associated challenges,” says Mike Conroy, The Brenda Strafford Foundation president and CEO. “Our assisted living and long-term care units include specialized dementia care. Furthermore, independent-senior living in an adjacent condominium development means seniors — depending on their health-care or lifestyle needs — can age in place and live comfortably without having to relocate.”

“We are excited to partner with The Brenda Strafford Foundation to provide an inclusive, safe, and integrated social environment,” says James Robertson, West Campus Development Trust president and CEO. “At University District, people have the opportunity to live well at every stage of life, with access to day-to-day services and shared open spaces. We are creating a social, active and healthy lifestyle here in a well-connected, sustainable community.”

With every detail, University District is designed with a focus on multi-generational needs and aging in place. With walkability at the forefront of University District’s planning, the community offers aging residents a lifestyle supported by enhanced mobility with numerous interconnecting paths and direct public transportation access. The latest design details account for accessibility and safety, such as ample seating in well-lit meeting places and pedestrian-friendly streets with easy crossings.

An important part of the broader University District vision, Cambridge Manor’s focus on innovation, research, teaching and learning will support service excellence and integrate the residential and academic communities within the University District and neighbouring University of Calgary.

The Brenda Strafford Foundation has created research chairs across multiple disciplines at the University of Calgary, including Geriatric Medicine and Alzheimer Research (Cumming School of Medicine), and the Prevention of Domestic Violence (Faculty of Social Work), in addition to establishment of the Brenda Strafford Centre on Aging (O’Brien Institute for Public Health).

Researchers and students across various faculties will have access to the dynamic research and learning environment within a continuing care setting at Cambridge Manor, enhanced through collaboration with the university’s Brenda Strafford Centre on Aging. The centre has a mandate for age-related research, interdisciplinary education, public policy and community outreach that will benefit the greater community.

Cambridge Manor will be accepting applications approximately one year before opening. Information about booking process will be announced in early 2019. As progress continues, updates can be found through University District’s ongoing communications here.