(Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Medicine Hat Retirement Villa to transition to a hotel

Jul 14, 2022 | 4:53 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- Basking out in the sun, Ted Kohlmetz has called the Medicine Hat Retirement Villa home for two years.

“It was the best place I have ever been a guest of, honestly,” he said.

But a few days ago, residents were told they would have to move by August 31, due to the Villa’s plans to transition into a hotel. About 20 residents, including Kohlmetz now have to find a new place to live.

“I don’t know what else to do. My daughter has power of attorney over me. So if I wanted to talk to any other facility about it I would have to have my daughter with me,” he said.

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Kohlmetz disagrees with the decision to transform the retirement villa into a hotel.The transition would also mean saying goodbye to the Retirement villa manager, Lorraine Dalla-Longa, who will be retiring due to health concerns.

Kohlmetz said news of the transition has hit some residents hard.

“I saw some of them ( the seniors) affected to the point of tears when they heard about Lorraine’s condition , but other than that I don”t really know. I know there is some anger and also some disappointment,” he said.

Stephen Campbell, former manager of The Cliff Restaurant, will be taking over as manager of the building. He said management is working diligently to ensure all the seniors have a place to go.

” We have two villas coming to talk to seniors today for assisted living. They all have room for them. So if that’s something that they choose, they can go with that. We plan on working with all the seniors the whole time to make the transition good. I’ve heard people might already have places , So it is going farely quick. If they aren’t out by the end of the month we will definitely work with them. We aren’t going to put anyone out on the street I promise you that.We are going to work with them and ensure it is a good fit for them,” he said.

Campbell said the decision to transition to a hotel was made for a number of reasons.

“Medicine Hat has been looking for a hotel in the downtown area for a while . So that’s always been an option. It used to be a hotel at one time, and I think that was one of the factors. They were doing the retirement community but they weren’t full all the time,” Campbell said, noting the retirement villa only hit an average of 50 to 60 per cent capacity.

Campbell said he is excited to bring the hotel to life, and he has many ideas brewing to make the Medicine Hat Villa the place to be. The hotel will be taking reservations starting August 1 on vacant rooms that are available.

Meantime seniors like Kohlmetz are now weighing their options as to where they want to live as they remember their favorite moments spent at the Medicine Hat Retirement Villa.

” The staff, Lorraine , the good food, and large accommodations,” Kohlmetz said.