Dave Conley walks his dog Titus every morning around his Skyview Park apartment complex. The community, located in the old Irondequoit Mall campus, was designed to be a senior living space.
“It's a nice little community,” Conley said. “A lot of different people. Everything's 55 and over here.”
Conley moved to Irondequoit about three years ago from East Rochester. He said he enjoys the amenities including the proximity of health care services, grocery stores and other community services.
“Anything you want is on Ridge Road,” he said. “I’m comfortable here. I think I would stay here.”
The Irondequoit Town Board recently passed a resolution to designate the town as an age-friendly community to attract and retain residents. The action is in response to Monroe County Aging Alliance efforts to advocate that municipalities incorporate age-friendly policies and planning.
Irondequoit officials said this distinction reaffirms the town’s commitment to ensuring that residents of all ages can thrive long-term in the area. This includes equal access to community amenities and services like transportation, health care, housing, and outdoor spaces.
“It means we have lots of services for older adults, but it also means being much more intentional,” said Ann Cunningham, the town board member who led the efforts to designating resolution. Cunningham is also executive director of Rochester Oasis, and an MCAA member.
The goal, she said, is to foster an inclusive community where people can age in place.
“We want older adults. We want younger adults. We want to live in community together,” Cunningham said. “It is really about making our lives enjoyable and comfortable and worthwhile.”
With the designation, Irondequoit joins the AARP and World Health Organization Global Networks of Age-Friendly States and Communities. Kathleen Benedetti-Fisher, associate state director of community engagement for AARP for central and western New York, said a lot of communities were not originally created with older residents in mind. She said age-friendly policies take into account everyone.
“We, a community, have taken on the commitment of looking at those structures that impact people to make sure that they still have access and that things are still working for them,” Benedetti-Fisher said.
Cunningham said Irondequoit is the first town in Monroe County to make this resolution designation
