He Wasn't Done Yet.

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Ray Piche had nothing against the retirement home. The staff were kind. The meals were tasty. The building was clean.

But something felt off from the start.

“It’s such a whole different atmosphere,” Ray says, pausing to find the right words. “Being surrounded by ambulances constantly in front of the building, the flag flying at half-mast.”

Ray, sharp, social, and still booking tee times, knew he hadn’t arrived at that chapter yet. “I was the only one there who was still going out for drinks with my buddies and going golfing,” he laughs. “I thought, what am I doing here?“

There’s a Gap Nobody Talks About

For many people, the path from independent living leads directly, and sometimes too quickly, to a retirement home. It’s a natural assumption. But for the growing number of Canadians who are downsizing, shedding the responsibilities of a large home, and stepping into a new phase of life, there’s a

meaningful middle ground.

1100 Afton was built for exactly that space.

A brand-new 90-suite rental community in Sarnia, Ontario, 1100 Afton is designed for residents who want a beautifully appointed, low-maintenance suite, perhaps before they are ready for all the care and elements provided at a retirement home. 

Sold by a Website. Confirmed by a Tour.

“That website really caught my attention,” he says. “I really enjoyed reading about the building, learning about the new fabrication, how the building was constructed almost like Lego blocks. That was fascinating.” He was so taken with what he read that he drove by the site while it was still under construction. By that point, his mind was made up. “I was hell-bent on this being where I was going to land.”

When he moved in, he brought his dog, Eddie, a Coton de Tulear, a breed Ray describes as “damn cute and very smart. Like me.” Eddie settled in quickly. Most mornings, Ray and Eddie head out to the yard together. Eddie,

Ray notes proudly, knows exactly which door is theirs and navigates the building on his own.

When Ray showed photos of his new home to his former neighbours, one detail stopped everyone cold.

“One big thing with the ladies there was: ‘You got a washer and dryer in your apartment?’” he laughs. “They thought that was fantastic.”

At 1100 Afton, in-suite laundry isn’t an upgrade, it’s standard. Every suite includes a full-size washer and dryer, because the small things that preserve your independence matter. And for the days you’d rather hand it off, our on-demand laundry service is just a call away.

A Community That Gets It

The shift in atmosphere was immediate.

“I was just telling the people how much I love it here,” Ray says. He’d pulled up photos on his iPad to show them. One man, a neighbour Ray describes as someone a lot like himself, took one look and said: “How do I contact them over there?”

It wasn’t hard to understand why. 1100 Afton feels like home: a well-run, beautifully maintained home where residents choose their own hours, come and go as they please, and build real community with neighbours who are in the same season of life.

“I’m very happy with everything,” Ray says, “and it’s met my expectations so far."

The Right Support, When You Want It

Part of what makes 1100 Afton work for residents like Ray is that it meets people wherever they are, and adapts as life changes. Through carefully curated partnerships with trusted, vetted third-party providers, residents have access to optional on-demand services right at their door: prepared meals and food delivery, housekeeping, personal laundry service, and light personal support, among others.  It’s the kind of thoughtful design that lets you move in on your terms, and stay on your terms.

Ready to See It for Yourself?

Suites at 1100 Afton are available now.

Contact us today to book your private tour and see how your life may look living at 1100 Afton.

519.900.3658

Ray Piche is a resident at 1100 Afton in Sarnia, Ontario.