Posted by
Elana Safronsky, Managing Editor
Tuesday, September 8, 2009 3:26 PM EDT
Being a city dweller, I must admit I learned of the “granny flat” – prefab home/portable/trailer placed on your property, purposed for an aging relative – fairly recently. A friend of a friend is from rural Ontario and her family has a granny flat in which dwells her granny.
Photo via Canadian Portable Structures
Ever since, the granny flat has intrigued me. It touches on the widely shared issue of accommodating your aging parents/relatives. Nursing homes are very expensive and not everyone’s choice for personal reasons, while even fewer people love the idea of cohabiting. So, in comes the granny flat.
For a one-time price of anywhere between $45,000 - $75,000, you can purchase an on-site second dwelling and keep your loved ones close while allowing them their independence.
But – and there’s a big but – many Canadian townships including Toronto, have strict zoning laws that are not in favour. Plainly put, city planners simply abhor the idea and many aesthetes do too.
Examples via HouseSmart.ca.
There is the question of available space, but if it’s there, why should a granny flat not be a viable option? Looking at these photos they really don’t look that bad… ARE they eyesores, or a favourable, dignified solution for our aging loved ones? Would you put your granny in a granny flat? Did you? What do you think of these?
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