The chair of the LaHave Manor Corporation says they aren't deterred by the unavailability of a certain home in Bridgewater. Elmer Garber says the Evergreen Road location is ideal for a group home because it is one level, has a built-in wheelchair ramp and is in a quiet residential neighbourhood. Garber says whether the home is residential or institutional should be open for interpretation.
"We're trying to integrate disabled people into the community, we're set up for that purpose. So, we really didn't think that this was an institutional setting, it's trying to make sure that the disabled are integrated in society into the least restrictive environment."Bridgewater's planning director, Eric Shaw, says Evergreen Road is classified as low density residential and cannot accommodate any institutional-type development. Garber says they aren't deterred by the bad news.
"We can certainly work within the parameters of the zoning by-laws of the town of Bridgewater. Now that we know that we're not regarded as being residential, that it's institutional, we realize that we have to move to an institutional zone or commercial zone or some other zone that isn't low density housing."Garber says the potential home in Bridgewater would house five clients. He's hoping to find a new location and setup the home in the next few months.