THIS is an open letter to local councils and all property developers.
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We seem to have a competition between developers to see who can put the most units on a block of land. They buy up a block with an old house on it, remove the house, and then see how many units they can fit on. Most of the units are two storeys, two bedrooms (upstairs), a bathroom and a garage.
So, who are their targeted buyers?
Is it oldies who want to downsize? Well, I hate to tell you this, but most of us oldies don't want a two-storey house.
Most have had a three- or four-bedroom house with a reasonable backyard where they raised their family. Now, with all our crook knees, hips, backs, eyesight, arthritis and breathing problems, we no longer want to be mowing lawns or climbing stairs, so we want to downsize.
We want single-storeys, and level blocks, three bedrooms because most of us still have grandchildren that like to visit, and a double garage, so beside their car they have a place to store their tools, suitcases, and so on, because we now no longer have a shed up the back.
These developers can’t be targeting young families. There are not enough bedrooms.
Are they targeting young couples with no children? How many couples in our area would have only one car?
Most have a car each to drive to work. So a single-car unit? I don't think so.
So who are you building these units to suit?
Personally, I would love a duplex or two villas together, as now that I am in that older bracket with health problems, my daughter would like to be near me so she can keep an eye on me.
Why not go into an over 55s community, you might ask? Well, I definitely qualify but my daughter doesn't and she still has two daughters living at home.
So, please developers, ask your parents and grandparents what they would like to downsize to in their old age and, remember, we still want to enjoy our old age and not feel that we are compelled to be cramped up in some tiny unit where we can no longer have friends or family visit.
Actually, if there are any developers out there who are considering these suggestions and are building around the Toronto area, please contact me so I can put my name down for a duplex or perhaps two villas together.
– Robyn Lambert, Wangi Wangi