Sharbot Lake Retirement and Retreat set to open in the spring.

Jeff Green | Jan 28, 2015

Andrew Kovacs had an idea, and the former Sharbot Lake Seniors’ Home is where he is turning that idea into a reality.

Kovacs is a Certified Professional Accountant who worked for years in supply chain finance. However he has wanted to make a change and has been looking for a suitable property to turn into a residence where seniors can be active but not have to worry about property upkeep, cooking or cleaning, among other responsibilities.

“I spent over a year looking for the right opportunity and looked at a number of properties, at least eight, but nothing was suitable. Then one day my broker called me and said his daughter had seen the seniors home here when she was driving to Toronto from Ottawa, where she works for Health Canada, and she told her father to check it out,” he said last week from his makeshift construction office/living room in what is fast becoming Sharbot Lake Retirement and Retreat.

That was in late September, and when he came up and saw the building and the location he was instantly sold on it.

“The lake sold it for me; it's gorgeous,” he said.

As we talked last week, the lake was frozen in its winter stillness, but the building was full of activity. All of the rooms have been completely gutted, down to the studs. The furniture, which had been accumulated over the years by the former owner of the property, Dr. Bell, has been or is being refurbished and is stacked in one room under cover. It is in this bare-bones state that Kovacs can see how he wants to set up the building for the 20 or so residents that he will be able to accommodate as permanent residents.

“The rooms are all 250 square feet in size, and we are putting walk-in tubs and showers in each of them. We plan to create what I call a 'boutique hotel experience' here. All the meals will be included of course, plus tray service to the room upon request, and other services such as a hair salon. In a lot of residences that are out there, the initial rent is only a part of the cost; everything comes with a charge. Here, everything will be included.”

One of the changes that came about from looking at the building once it was gutted is that the former dining room, which has large windows and the best view of the lake in the entire building, will be used as an activity lounge instead.

“While it was a beautiful room for eating in, it was not used for the rest of the day,” said Kovacs, “so we can move the dining area over and make this room a focal point for the residents.”

One of the basic improvements being made to the building is the installation of an elevator to help with mobility in the three-level structure. Further down the road, the strip of land between the building and the lake is to be landscaped and made fully accessible to the residents in the home.

“What we are going to be offering is a beautiful location, handy to all the services in the village, at a competitive price,” said Kovacs, who said he sees the region between Ottawa and Kingston as the market for the residence.

“When we are all done renovating this will be a beautiful place to live. The building has really good bones. It is solid and has an approved sprinkler system. What we will be doing is making all the residents’ rooms and all the common rooms look and feel attractive and comfortable. When people come here with their parents they will be wanting to move in themselves; that's what we are after,” he said.

A local crew is now working on the construction project as are local tradespeople, and when the residence is opened there will be employment for cooks and cleaners, personal support workers and other staff.

“Our success will bring jobs and a higher profile to the local community,” said Kovacs, who hopes to make the Sharbot Lake residence the model for others in the coming years.

Once the renovations are complete, Kovacs said he intends to bring the local public in to view the space.