Cathy’s Story
“Anthonian Court is a great place to live for me. It’s close to the LRT and to shopping in a nice neighbourhood,” Cathy says. “I’m very happy here.”
Cathy Martin has lived at Onward’s Anthonian Court senior’s townhouse complex for less than a year, but in that time, she has found contentment in her space and connection with her neighbours.
When the condo she previously rented went up for sale, Cathy temporarily moved in with her niece. “I wanted to stay in Calgary as I have a lot of good friends and family here. I applied to many, many places and didn’t hear back.”
Calgary’s tight rental market meant it was tricky to find a place for several months. In time, Cathy found a home with Onward. “Lucky for me, they had a vacancy in a retirement building with its own entrance; that is perfect,” she says.
Cathy, who is 74, still works (“I’m slowing down now though,” she says) as a medical transcriptionist, but enjoys meeting her neighbours in the common area outside or during the Wednesday coffee group.
“It’s a great community here,” she says. “Even though I’m still working, there’s always someone out in the courtyard if I want company.”
Cathy has sung as a baritone with the Chinook Winds Show Chorus for 52 years. She is hoping to recruit some new members from her new neighbourhood, and perhaps host a Christmas concert at Anthonian Court.
“Singing has brought so much joy to my life, I love sharing it with others,” she says. “Some of our members are still singing at 85. It helps keep you young!”
She also plays the piano, sometimes in the common area of Anthonian Court. “The common area is so wonderful,” she says. “I’d love to help organize a dinner or some other events in that space to bring more people together.”
Cathy’s newest joy is her kitten, Mocha.
“A few months after moving in here I was thinking to myself it would be nice to have a pet for company, and a couple of days later I saw a poster on the bulletin board notifying us pets are now allowed!” she says. “I immediately went to my friends, whose cat just had kittens and within 3 months, adopted Mocha. She is great company for me.”
Cathy’s hope for the future of housing in Calgary is that there are more places built for seniors as well as other people who are lower income.
“Anthonian Court is a great place to live for me. It’s close to the LRT and to shopping in a nice neighbourhood,” Cathy says. “I’m very happy here.”
