01 OC Mag 01-24

Orange City Area Health System CEO Marty Guthmiller has
overseen the development of Kanaal Huis since its inception. Vision
Builders made it all a reality, completing construction in December.
Area Health System, there is an array of activities and
resources for Kanaal Huis residents to tap into.
Although Guthmiller reiterated that no Kanaal Huis
resident is required to participate in any Kanaal Huis
activity, he hopes options are ample.
“For example, we employ physical therapists. There’s
a very well-equipped fitness room in Kanaal Huis. What
we can do is have the physical therapist come over once
a month, once a quarter, periodically whatever that
might be, to simply instruct people how to use it. How
do you use this fitness room, how to use the equipment,
why is it important, and then if people want to do that,
great,” Guthmiller said. “If they don’t, nobody is going
to babysit them over it so that’s totally up to them. But
there are those kinds of things.
“Dietitian would be another one, yoga is another one,
and diabetes, eating healthy, are all types of things that
the health system can bring to bear because of the resources
that we have and because of our involvement
with this,” he added. “Things like a wine and cheese
gathering on a certain night, a cooking demonstration
class, with a bingo or trivia night kind of thing. Simply
to promote community and simply to say, ‘Hey, you
know even though it’s winter and 30 below zero right
now, we can still have trivia tonight.’”
Kanaal Huis held its ribbon cutting on Dec. 19. A
month later, Orange City mayor Deb De Haan said
she has no concern if condos fill up slowly. In fact, it is
rather expected.
“With any new concept, especially I think in conservative
northwest Iowa, we always think, ‘Oh, I don’t
know if I want to be the first one to go out there.’ People
like to see the final project,” De Haan said. “Once it
catches on with our citizens, it’s going to take off. You
just have to be a little patient.”
She predicts Kanaal Huis will have a waiting list in
10-15 years.
The benefits of Kanaal Huis extend to even after residents
leave the building.
Bruce Mouw, for example, said Kanaal Huis living
eliminates many of the housekeeping responsibilities
and maintenance of being a landowner while on vacation.
Guthmiller said one of the beauties of condo ownership
is being able to lock the door and leave Orange City
for months at a time without worrying about break-ins,
home damage or even having a warm home to return
SPRING 2024 | OC MAGAZINE 31