Country living in the city at Village Riviera
The charm of the countryside in the city. This is what the Village Riviera, an establishment for autonomous and semi-autonomous seniors inaugurated in 2007 by the Katasa Group, offers.
Located in the Côte d’Azur district of Gatineau, the 5 phases are built on a 13-acre estate bordering the woods. The buildings are contemporary or classic in style and offer spectacular views of the Gatineau River as well as the cities of Gatineau and Ottawa.
Shawn Scott-Brazeau has been the Operations Manager of the Village Riviera since its opening in 2007. “It’s a facility in the country, in the middle of the city,” he says. It is surrounded by greenery and large mature trees. It is like a paradise in the countryside on the water’s edge where you can take long walks. In the fall, the colors of the trees are spectacular! Summer is a paradise of flower blossoms.”
The buildings are all connected to each other by a passageway and recreate the friendly atmosphere of a village. “Each phase has its attraction, such as the library, cinema, gym, indoor pool, community hall, and chapel,” says Mr. Scott-Brazeau. There are also two main dining rooms and one for brunches and gourmet dinners. In the last phase opened in 2018, we added a Club House with bowling alleys, a virtual golf course, a pool table, a disco, cooking workshops, and a lounge with fireplace.”
A LIVELY ESTABLISHMENT
The great particularity of the Village Riviera is the residents’ involvement in social activities. The facility has more than 75 resident volunteers who organize a wide range of activities such as outings, trips, and events inside and outside the facility.
“Our volunteers are very active. They are very warm people who are proud of their housing, their living environment,” explains Mr. Scott-Brazeau. Professionals are also on hand to organize physical activities such as aquafitness and yoga. Since the opening of the Village Riviera, Petanque remains the most popular sport game.
The Village Riviera offers nursing services 7 days a week and orderly at all times. The facility also provides body care services, on-site medical consultation, by appointment, and a hair salon. With the pandemic, many activities cannot be held. However, the staff is dedicated to supporting all its residents.
“Everything is at your fingertips for the residents. We are here to meet their needs. The beautiful view and the good life, it’s all real at the Village Riviera,” concludes Mr. Scott-Brazeau.
JUST LIKE AT HOME
Jocelyne and Paul Landreville have lived in Phase 4 of the Village Riviera for four years. Previously, they had never been tenants. The sale of their family home was necessary mainly because of the costs associated with maintenance.
“Snow removal, lawn mowing, and window cleaning were on contract,” says Mrs. Landreville. My husband was no longer healthy enough to look after all of that. After visiting other residences for seniors, our choice fell on the Village Riviera because it is modern. The apartments are large, we have two bathrooms, the air conditioning is central, there is no carpet, we have an indoor parking lot and I have a large kitchen with lots of storage. You don’t feel stuffy and it feels like home.”
She also considers the cost of rent affordable and similar to the cost of maintaining a house. “We have a view of the river and mountains. It’s the countryside in the city! And we’re close to everything for shopping. We can also take walks around the facility on beautiful forest trails. I can even go snowshoeing in the winter with my friends from the Village Riviera,” adds Mrs. Landreville.
Prior to COVID-19, several activities and events were of interest to the couple. After a more difficult lockdown last spring, Mrs. Landreville believes that the second wave gives them more opportunities, especially for grocery shopping and going to the pharmacy.
“I have to say that living the pandemic at Village Riviera is less painful than living it alone at home. With the nurse and the handyman nearby, you have peace of mind. You don’t need to take care of anything, and all the staff is friendly. And I can make my meals at my ease. I must also mention that there is a lot of mutual help among the residents. Everyone is there for one another. Our small network of friends also allows us to meet beautiful people,” concludes Mrs. Landreville.
About Katasa
Sam Chowieri is the president of the Katasa Group, which he founded in the 1980s. His three daughters have been part of the management group of the family business for about ten years. Katherine is responsible for planning, marketing, and finance, Tanya is in charge of new acquisitions, new projects, and commissioning of new buildings and renovations, and Samantha manages retirement residences and all real estate properties. In particular, the Katasa Group manages the following seniors’ residences: Résidence de l’Île, Village Riviera, District, Manoir Pierrefonds, Riverain, and Marquis de Tracy
