The Queenswood Villa retirement residence celebrated its 25th anniversary on Feb. 9 with a special casino day. The residents and their family members were able to try their hand at Blackjack, Roulette and even a pair of slot machines while also having their picture taken to mark the special occasion.

Sales manager Christine O'Grady said the day was a huge success.

"The residents had a ball. Everyone was dressed to the nines. The ladies all wore their best outfits with jewelry and the men were all in suits and ties. They were all very excited,� said O'Grady.

Residents at the Queenswood Villa retirement community in Queenswood Heights celebrated the facility's 25th anniversary by playing games of chance, including slot machines and blackjack. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Many of the family members also filled in as blackjack dealers and roulette wheel spinners. To go along with the special occasion special hors d'oeuvres were served along with red and white wine. There was even a bar serving up mixed drinks.

"The residents loved it. They actually asked if they could do it every week,� laughed O'Grady.

When it first opened in 1994, the Queenswood Villa was among just a handful of seniors residences in the area along with the Orléans Villa, the R�sidence St. Louis and the Blackburn Lodge.

Revera Retirement Genpar Inc. bought the property in May, 2013 and has main-tained it as an independent living facility ever since. The residence is made up of 58 rooms set in a bungalow style with three wings each leading to the centre foyer.

"Our residents really feel at home here,� says O'Grady. "It's small. It's cozy and everyone knows everyone. And there's constant action. We have yoga classes and different games. There's always something going on for our resi-dents to do.�

A quick look at the activity calendar reveals there are a handful of things to do every day including laughter yoga, sing-alongs, mini golf, charades and Netflix movie nights.

Besides all the activities, the residents are also appreciative of the fact that most of the staff, including O'Grady live in the area. It's also relatively inexpensive with studios starting at $1,995 a month.

Potential residents can book a tour of the property and enjoy a meal in the spacious dining room. Rooms are also available for short-term and respite stays and the residence is pet friendly. To find out more you can visit their website at www.reveraliving.com, or you can book a tour by calling 1-877-929-9222.