Ontario’s first 55+ resort lifestyle community is coming to The Village at St. Elizabeth Mills. Designed by renowned Forrec Ltd. and developed by ZEST Communities, the $800+ million redevelopment will set a new bar for the future of 55+ living.
A Whole New Way to Look at The ZEST Years
The population at The Village at St. Elizabeth Mills is expected to surge to more than 3,000, with the goal of turning what’s a rather typical active living complex into a themed lifestyle community. That might sound like marketing jargon, but the plan really is to build the revamped community around a theme – a fictional storyline that provides a bit of fantasy. The plan is expected to take a decade or so to complete. The Village will be a work in progress that continually expands and grows to accommodate its burgeoning population, without any interruption for the existing residents.
A Theme Park Design Team Creating a Retirement Community
Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that the company handling the master plan for The Village at St. Elizabeth Mills is better known for roller-coasters and waterslides rather than shuffleboard courts. Toronto-based Forrec Ltd. has designed theme parks around the world including
Universal Studios Florida and Canada’s Wonderland. Their design for The Villages in central Florida, three themed retirement communities inspired by small-town U.S.A., was perfectly aligned with ZEST’s vision for The Village at St. Elizabeth Mills.
The company will remake the retirement community into a pastoral mill town, complete with
a spinning water wheel and old-time windmill, and carry the aesthetic throughout the development. Forrec says the theme will imbue St. Elizabeth with a sense of history, strengthen community ties and emphasize that the site is a real town – not merely a collection of homes.
The impressive Master Plan they have created enhances the site’s natural beauty – the ponds, the lush mature landscaping, the wide open spaces. The plan brings new excitement to The Village where one can dine, picnic, take in theatre, shop, enjoy live music, stroll along the boardwalk or the many paths and trails, and partake in hundreds of activities, clubs and groups. What makes The Village at St. Elizabeth Mills different? Attitude. The infusion of fun at every turn. The opportunity to live in a community right out of a storybook – a Village that has it all!
What’s Next?
Plans are currently underway for the launch of Upper Mill Pond, a smart collection of 100+ Market Value Life Lease suites meticulously designed for convenience and elegance. These contemporary units feature well-considered layouts that maximize space and light and offer appointments like wider doorways and spacious bathrooms. Register now for priority access to Upper Mill Pond. Simply fill out a registration form at the Sales Office or visit LivingWithZest.com
Meantime, the Village Square is being designed to accommodate numerous shops and restaurants as well as services and conveniences. The Square will be a beacon of activity within The Village – its design is fundamental to the theme. Reminiscent of small town Ontario, this eclectic collection of storefronts will provide a focal point for the community.
In keeping with the overall plan for the site’s re-development, the existing Garden Homes are presently in the process of being renovated.
