Retirement residential community Worthington Park recently changed hands and is now owned by Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities, but the changes in management have some residents concerned.
Carol Sedgwick, who has been living in Worthington Park for a year-and-a-half, says they are concerned by the lack of communication from Parkbridge. “They’ve been with us for 13 days and I have not seen or heard from them.”
The new owners bought the retirement residential community on August 1, so it’s been less than two weeks since the owners took possession.
“We’re still very much in transition mode, so there are some changes that are a little different in terms of staffing in the office but the manager is still contactable,” says Lachlan MacLean, vice-president of Property Operations at Parkbridge.
Some residents say the lack of communication is not the only issue they are worried about. They fear additional changes to their original contracts.
According to the Canadian government rent increase guidelines, a landlord can increase the rent by a maximum of 1.8 per cent in Ontario up until December 2019. The last rent increase was done in May of this year.
“There is no more allowable increase for a minimum of 12 months so we would wait until next year and then see what the provincial government provides as an allowable guideline,” says MacLean.
There are about 143 homes at the park, but not everyone is worried — some are embracing the change.
“I’m always open-minded to see what’s coming you know, there will probably be some changes but hopefully they will be for the better,” says Christine Grant who has been living at Worthington Park for over a decade.
CKWS also spoke with the former owner Linda Struthers who said in a statement, “I believe that I’ve left the community in excellent hands.
“The new owners need to be given a chance. I’m confident that they’ll continue to thrive in the community.”
Parkbridge says residents at the retirement residential community can expect more clarity at their next residents’ meeting coming up this Wednesday.