A new supportive living space for adults with down syndrome has opened in Okotoks.

Greg Toews initially started the project when his son Daylen entered high school, in order to build him a solid foundation for adult life.

Since then, Toews embarked on the journey to create "Daylen's Place," a supportive living model for adults with down syndrome that affords residents independence and encourages growth while providing them with support along the way.

Daylen's Place, which Toews debuted to the public and media during National Down Syndrome Week, currently consists of two fully furnished 4,200 square foot homes, each able to house three residents and four caregivers.

Now 18 years old, Daylen has been living in one of the houses for a month with his former nanny having been brought on as a caregiver.

Toews says Daylen's taken very well to his new home and lifestyle, which includes an early start to the day wherein he wakes up at around 7 a.m. and cooks some breakfast.

He's the only resident now but the addition of housemates in the near future is something Daylen is very much looking forward to and something Toews says will provide even more growth.

Once additional housemates move in, more tasks will be assigned, with each resident playing their own part in maintaining the homes.

He says Daylen able to quickly get a good grip on chores like cooking and laundry after he's had a bit of a nudge in the right direction.

"Once Daylen does it, say, four or five times, he gets the hang of it. So in a month's time, he can already make his grilled cheesed sandwich, a hamburger, eggs, it's pretty impressive!"

According to Toews, the collaboration between residents as well as caregivers will play a big role in the day-to-day of Daylen's Place, with plenty of opportunities to learn from one another and help each other out.

Both houses contain communal areas, kitchen spaces with large cooking and food prep surfaces, expansive yards, and back decks complete with barbecues.

One house is intended for male residents, and the other for females, with slightly different decor and recreational amenities.

While the male house sports a foosball table and PS4 in the basement, the female house includes a crafts table and vegetable garden, all of which will be made available to residents of both houses.

Toews says he's looking at possibly building a third house on a nearby property once the other two are occupied and residents are fully integrated.

He says finding the right community for the project was essential, and Okotoks stuck out for a few reasons.

"In Okotoks, for me, it's a more family-based town. It's about belonging to something. I'm a farm boy too, so when I come here it reminds me of my upbringing. And better yet, how Okotoks has accepted Daylen? Now we have a winner. Everyone so far here has put him first rather than themselves."

Once the residents of both houses are fully settled in, he says he anticipates some involvement and integration into the Okotoks community, including volunteer work and possibly employment in town.

Toews says teens with learning disabilities should be able to develop the same life skills and share the same experiences as all their other classmates after graduating high school.

"For these kids, at the age of 18 after high school, a lot of them don't go anywhere. They're kind of pushed to the side and forgotten about. By building this, Daylen can have the same opportunities that I was given in life, and maybe achieve more than even he thought he could."

He says Daylen's Place is his gift of appreciation not only for Daylen but for all individuals with down syndrome.

"With Daylen, from the time he was born, people would always say 'sorry,' but most people don't understand down syndrome. It's almost a gift. They simplify the world, we complicate it. So who should be sorry?"

For more information on Daylen's Place, click here.