Donna Dalupan is walking through one of the new neighbourhoods in the Village of Ridgeview Court. She’s on the top floor of the brand-new Village, and in the resident areas, all the work – aside from the finishing touches – is virtually complete.
The little nuances catch her eye: the subtle storage closets along the corridor, for example, or the towel warmer in the shower room. Larger features stand out in the common area, such as the beautiful open servery where meals will be finished after prep in the main kitchen downstairs, or the large windows that overlook the escarpment to the west.
Having worked in various roles across different villages, most recently as the General Manager at Mississauga’s Erin Mills Lodge, Donna is almost overwhelmed touring for the first time the Village she will open in a few months as General Manager.
“I’m just blown away,” Donna says, surveying the neighbourhood and seeing past the signs of ongoing construction over the hum of equipment buzzing away on Main Street below. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – to open a new Long-Term Care Village – and I couldn’t be more excited.”
She’s thinking about 192 new residents who are in such need of a permanent home, and a wave of team members who will fill Ridgeview Court with life when the Village is ready in the spring of 2026. She can’t wait for their reactions to a space with “all the bells and whistles.”
“They are just going to love it,” Donna says. “For anyone who is not used to having so much space where they can explore Main Street and just be part of a vibrant community, this is huge.”
She points out the open, secure courtyard accessible through the large greenhouse off the Community Centre, and the large, bright windows in the Fitness Centre where residents will work alongside team members in the Program for Active Living. Every design element that has gone into earlier Villages has been considered and improved where possible, notes Peter Brouwers, who, as Schlegel Villages’ Director of New Village Setup and Special Projects, is leading Donna through her Village.
But the physical design is only part of what excites Donna and the rest of her leadership team.
Neighbourhood Coordinator (NC) Hayley McHugh, who is coming to Ridgeview Court from neighbouring Erin Meadows, says she’s energized by the prospect of “building the team from the ground up and creating that culture that I already know from Schlegel Villages for a new group of residents and team members.”
It’s a culture that NC Alanna Bell was eager to join. Alanna, who comes to Ridgeview Court from outside the organization, says she’s proud to be part of a team bringing much-needed long-term care options to the Town of Milton.
“I'm excited for Milton itself to have a new long-term care home because it's needed, and the community can really benefit,” Alanna says.
She and the rest of the leadership team have been interviewing direct care providers as part of Schlegel Villages’ initial internal hiring wave. Everyone seems enthusiastic about setting a high standard of care and life quality from the moment each new person steps foot in Ridgeview Court, whether they’re a team member, resident or loved one.
Donna, who has been eagerly waiting since she accepted the General Manager role in late 2024 smiles wide as she surveys her new Village, politely greeting every tradesperson she meets throughout her tour.
“We are so close to bringing the Village to life, and I can’t wait.”
