Gore Bay is a town located on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada. The town has quite a small population of only 850 with quite an equal distribution of both males and females. The town of Gore Bay rests on the edge of Gore Bay, a bay of Lake Huron’s North Channel. The town’s quaint and scenic location makes it a popular retirement area. Gore Bay’s popularity for retiring seniors has increased as shown in the median age increase in the 2011 census to the 2016 census. In order to adjust to this demand in the community, there have been several adjustments and buildings constructed including a new seniors center and 2 new senior housing buildings.
Welcome to Gore Bay! A video all about my town:
The demographics of Gore Bay as recorded in the Stats Canada 2011 and 2016 censuses show an 8.7% increase in the median age number. The median age increased from 51.6 to 56.1, with the average retirement age being around 63 in all of Canada. The growing number of seniors has been very prevalent in the community. Due to 87% of Gore Bay’s population being over the age of 14, the local public school faced closure because of low student numbers. In order to keep the public school open, in 2017 a portion of the elementary school (C.C.McLean Public School) was transformed into a brand new senior’s center. The aging population of the town has also resulted in two 4-plex condo buildings being constructed in the past few years due to high demand for senior housing. The condos are geared towards seniors with main floor flats, wheelchair accessible entrances, and bathrooms.
The town of Gore Bay has faced the challenge of an increasing retired population. The median age has risen 8.7% in just 5 years. In order to adjust to this demand in the community, there have been several adjustments and buildings constructed including a new seniors center and 2 new senior housing buildings. A part of the elementary school has been adjusted to be a seniors center for some recreational activities for seniors as well as allowing the local school to remain open. There has been more senior housing built as well to accommodate the aging population. Gore Bay is a strong and tight-knit community and has adjusted very well to the changes thrown at them.
Sources:
Sasvari, T. (2017, October 05). Gore Bay seniors’ centre celebrates grand opening. Retrieved from https://www.manitoulin.ca/gore-bay-seniors-centre-celebrates-grand-opening/
Annie The Sociologist 