View topic - Retirement Community for Wilderness Canoeists??

This is a question from the "It doesn't hurt to ask" school of retirement planning.

I am 68 and good to go for many years into the future. However, unless they repeal the aging process, I know that won't be the case indefinitely. So, I am beginning to think about an eventual retirement community, where you start living independently, but have access to more and more assistance when you get so old that physical limitations and medical issues are almost inevitable.

It would be great to go to a place where there were a lot of people who share my interests in wilderness canoeing and similar pursuits. Has anyone ever heard of a retirement community geared to people like us?

Frankr

I had a friend wanting to set one up. He bought waterfront acreage in South Carolina hoping some friends would come and buy parcels but as it turned out he battled cancer for eight years and died.

Not exactly a retirement community.. The formal ones get all het up if you go ask them about canoeing in the pond.. The Highlands at Topsham has supposedly the most active group. But no pond on premise.

Frankr we are just weird. Lets go take over Samoset. Or build something near Millinocket..

Elliot Lake ON might be the closest to your desires. Its a good time to go.

http://www.cityofelliotlake.com/en/

Canada is always open to American refugees.

Littleredcanoe - Thanks for the link to Elliot Lake. How did you ever become aware of such a city? At some point in the future, I will probably visit to assess.

I wouldn't use the term "weird" to describe people like us, even if only a small percentage of the general population shares our fascination for traveling in the deep woods in an open canoe.

Bearburrito - Elliot City on the web looks like a great place to live, as a choice. Refugee? I don't think it will come to that. I am old enough to have lived through the Nixon presidency. This great nation somehow survived.

We are in uncharted water with a lunatic at the helm now. I couldn't have imagined President Trump. I think there will be a historic debacle. But, the US will get through it just fine.

It's not crazy crazy, just a new kind of crazy. Replacing shuttle boards with kayaks, card tables with yoga mats, rocking chairs with canoes? It should work. Think retirement resort. In order for it to work, it would need just three things : location, location, and money. Build it and they will come. The waiting list would be a long one.

American refugees ?

At least put a smiley face at the end of the sentence ..... ehehe
Don't assume and generalize ......Pleazzzzz

Anyway Frank ; there's a myriad of info involved in setting up camp here in Ontario ........ unless you already happen to have dual citizenship .
I'm clueless about most of it since things have changed in the last few years

Things like medical coverage or being able to collect your American pension while up here , and how long would you be allowed to stay without having to return Stateside .... etc. etc.

Obviously setting up in the States would be much easier IMHO

My neighbors and I are all retired ex city dwellers that moved up to canoe country in northern Ontario before 2000 , great community of self reliant canoers

Cheers ........ Vin

I was also going to suggest Elliot Lake as well and after a quick scan of housing prices they are still the best deal around with few homes more than 200K and the plurality in the 150K range.

The town itself is pretty average ( no offence to the townspeople) but the surrounding area especially to the north and east and west is a paddlers dream..Lots of small and big lakes, good interconnected portages and few people and good fishing all add up to a good place to be able to get paddling.

That all said , is it a community of paddlers ?
Doubtful.
No outfitters nearby.
and in my many years of online viewing in this forum I dont believe I have seen someone who is a resident of the area.
Here is my list of what "could" be paddling communities:
Barrie/Huntsville/Gravenhurst/Bracebridge/Sudbury/North Bay/Peterborough

but damn its hard to find people who share their love of the sport.

Franker I was probably one of the first to travel the brand new Trans Canada Highway in 1967
Gots pretty close to Elliot Lake

Since then I have repeated the journey at least once a year

I know folks that think Pinawa Manitoba would fit your bill.

"People are choosing Pinawa’s quality lifestyle for recreation, ..."

"Pinawa’s resort-like community lies on the northern edge of the Whiteshell Provincial Park, just 110 kilometres from Winnipeg. Situated on the shores of the Winnipeg River, the town is a recreation paradise offering sailing, canoeing, fishing, hiking, swimming, snowmobiling, and cross country skiing."

http://pinawa.com/discover/#.WJDcqne-IUE

_________________
Brian
http://www.JohnstonPursuits.ca

 

I'm an unpaid volunteer at a non-profit assisted living facility in central NH. Check out the web site: www.pyareohome.org. It's 5 min. from a good put-in on the Pemigewasset R.--paddle and portage upstream to near the White Mtns, downstream to the Atlantic. This is the Lakes Region of NH--many lakes to paddle. The coast is 1.5 hrs away. A new chapter of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Assoc. has just started up and plans some group paddles. But...the winters are about the same as ME.

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I went to the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life . . . and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Light rap on the knuckles GunnelBob. As a North Bay-ite I'd say it's not at all difficult to find those of us with a canoe and wilderness fetish. Any Tim Horton's in North Bay on a Friday night or Saturday morning can attest to the cars going through the drive through for the last dash of caffeine before hitting the river. But if you're not a coffee-head, most jumping off spots at the rivers will have one or two crews heading out, and if that still doesn't suit, the local physiotherapist's office has more than enough locals to talk trail talk, give tips, and yes, even suggest some trips that are upcoming and ask you to join. We find a little spot once in awhile by word of mouth, and then another and another. There are "friend" society's here protecting local water ways. Anyway, a little teasing for Sunday morning.

Elliot Lake is a good option, North Bay's ok and Sudbury, but also maybe something on the east end of Algonquin Park, Whitney. Join the friends of Algonquin Park and presto you're set. Unless you're looking for something more off the beaten path - if so, check out Backroads Bill Steer - local journalist/backwoods trekker. If you meet him, you don't need anyother contact, he's been everywhere

http://www.northernontario.travel/autho ... bill-steer

Well maybe not this year for the winters.. We got lots more than you. Does your facility sponsor group canoe outings for residents?

Just for those in Ontario. Pronounce Chocorua. ( the name of the new chapter)

I'm in the Lakes Region of Maine.. same situation.. right twixt the mountains and the sea but half of the area of our town is lake.

There are only 7 residents so things are organized on an individual basis. But a few paddles happen. One lady in the late stages of MS was paddled around a couple of times (very safely) and loved it. Another resident was paddling himself in the nearby Pemi river but developed balance issues and was convinced by his daughter and staff that it wasn't safe.

There's actually some dispute about the pronunciation. See: http://forum.hike-nh.com/viewtopic.php?t=136

I paddle locally but really like to go far into the Canadian wilderness. Latest trip the Thelon last summer.

Winters? What winters? At noon it's 53 here!!

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I went to the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life . . . and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Frankr ..... How about some feedback ?

Vinman et al. Here is my feedback on replies so far, which I thank people for.

I would have been pleasantly amazed if somewhere in this world there had been a retirement community, meaning cottages and apartments for independent living with an onsite transition to assisted living and nursing care that catered to folks like us. So far, no one seems to know of such a facility.

There does seem to be a retirement community in Elliot, which comes close. It doesn't seem to explicitly cater to outdoor lovers, but because of it's location, I think there's a good chance that many residents would have those interests.

I suspect the mechanics of moving to Canada as a retiree would not be insurmountable. I won't be ready for several years. I am blessed by really good health at 68. I have friends and am still living a full life in the community. However, I think the way to go for a US citizen would be to consult with a qualified immigration attorney rather than to try figure it out by myself.

I can just tell that most of the people on this site are people I would really like if I met them in real life. It would be amazing if a retirement community could be found, which would enable a segment of us to co-locate in a great place.

Frankr