Rotary Club of Peterborough Makes $50,000 Donation to YES Shelter To Expand Housing

To expand housing, The Rotary Club of Peterborough has donated $50,000 to the YES Shelter for Youth and Families in a cheque presentation made on Monday afternoon.

This funding is a part of Rotary’s Centennial Celebrations, helping the community in their 100th year of local service. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Peterborough.

This funding allows YES to open three new permanent spaces in their RISE Youth Housing Program. It facilitates the renovation and maintenance of an existing RISE Youth Housing location according to a press release.

“I am pleased to be presenting this cheque for the YES RISE Youth Housing Program to fund a place and program where youth are supported with skills to transition from homelessness and living in a shelter towards living on their own often finishing high school, a college program or into employment,” said Betty Halman-Plumley, Rotary president.

The $50,000 is part of the Rotary’s $100,000 commitment that was made last year.

“The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha is very pleased to partner with the Peterborough Rotary Club in providing funding for YES’ Rise Youth Housing Program,” said Paul Landau, Peterborough Kawartha Club president. “This program ensures that youth in the community have a safe place to live and also learn strategies to support their recovery.”

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City to Build 50-Unit Modular Bridge Housing Community For the Homeless Being Constructed In September

The City of Peterborough is creating a 50-unit Modular Bridge Housing on Wolfe Street for anyone experiencing homelessness with construction to begin in September.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.

Several of the individual units are being built off-site before being delivered to the property. Each unit will have access to electricity, a heating and cooling system.

Over the next several weeks, through conversations to identify how support services at the Modular Bridge Housing project will align with each individual’s specific needs, the City will provide offers of accommodation for the new units as stated in a press release.

The units will be a bridge to move people into more permanent housing.

“I'm proud of the progress we've made towards the plan at Wolfe Street, and I think it’s a significant step in the right direction to address the needs of the community, and establish structure and support in the area,” said Councillor Alex Bierk, vice chair of the City's Housing and Homelessness portfolios. “We are meeting people where they are at and have put in a lot of work to collaborate with community partners and create more accessible shelter options.”

Council approved a comprehensive homelessness strategy in May. Part of the strategy includes:

• The 50-unit Modular Bridge Housing project

• Opening a new winter overnight drop-in centre

• Creating a service hub to support the Modular Bridge Housing community

Details are being finalized on the location of the winter overnight drop-in centre that will be open for six months every year and a year-round daytime meal program that will replace the current One Roof community meal program and drop-in centre.

Once the new overnight drop-in centre opens and the Modular Bridge Housing project is ready, the Wolfe Street building will be converted from an overflow shelter program into a service hub to support the Modular Bridge Housing community.

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Federal and Provincial Government Fund $2.5 Million To Provide More Affordable Housing In Peterborough-Kawartha

The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario have funded $2,457,000 to help create 63 more affordable community housing units for the Hunt Terrance on 555 Bonacord St., announced on Monday morning.

Jeff Leal, Peterborough mayor (left), Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP (middle) and Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County warden at the Hunt Terrace on 555 Bonacord St. Amenities in the building include dining room with meal options, laundry facilities and a common room. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

“What it does is it reduces the actual operating costs for the building because we're cutting that mortgage down by $2.5 million,” explained Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MP. “That mortgage payment on that amount is not going to be factored into what they have to have in order to operate it so it gives them the flexibility then to lower the cost on 63 of the units in total.”

The funding is part of a project investment of over $46 million through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) to create 267 affordable housing units across the province according to a press release.

Hunt Terrace is a six-storey building that has 85 units in total including both one- and two-bedroom units. There are specific units for those who require health and/or housing support which is provided on-site through community partners.

“555 Bonaccord is a unique building for PHC (Peterborough Housing Corporation), offering both market and affordable units in a multigenerational setting,” said Hope Lee, PHC CEO. “The ground floor commercial space offers several amenities such as on-site offices for support partners, common spaces for tenants, meeting facilities for the public and dining options for both tenants and the public. The COCHI funding is a much-appreciated contribution towards our capital costs.”

"Our community is working together to build affordable housing, to build homes,” said Jeff Leal, Peterborough mayor. The dedicated team at the City’s social housing agency, Peterborough Housing Corporation, led a true community effort to build the $31.1-million, 85-unit second phase at Hunt Terraces that includes 65 community housing units and 20 market rent units.”

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Update on Modular Temporary Housing on Wolfe Street in Peterborough

Construction fencing is being installed at the municipal parking lots at the east end of Wolfe Street starting July 12 in preparation for the placement of modular temporary housing on the site in the fall.

photo by david tuan bui.

The fencing is being installed around the municipal parking lot at Wolfe and Aylmer streets as well as along sections of the south and north sides of the Rehill Parking Lot that is between Dalhousie and Wolfe streets. Gates have been put up to prevent vehicular access to the parking lots.

Temporary washrooms will be installed in the Rehill Parking Lot in the next couple of weeks.

Social Services outreach workers are speaking with individuals at the encampment site who are experiencing homelessness as part of the preparations for the modular temporary housing. Temporary modular housing units will offer a new housing option for individuals who are experiencing homelessness.

Through an enhanced homelessness services plan approved by Council, the City is installing modular temporary housing, will provide a new drop-in centre service, and will convert the Wolfe Street building that is currently used for the Overflow Shelter Bed service into a homelessness services hub with community agencies providing services out of the building.

In addition to speaking with people who are experiencing homelessness, the City is working with the surrounding neighbourhood. A neighbourhood liaison committee is being created with residents, Council representatives, a representative from Peterborough Police Service, and City staff members.

The construction fencing is temporary. Planning for the modular temporary housing will include site design and privacy fencing for both the residents of the modular temporary housing and the residents who live in the surrounding neighbourhood.

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Grade Six Student Earns $10,000 Grant For Habitat For Humanity From National Writing Contest

Grade 6 student Ellyot W. earned Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region a $10,000 grant after being announced as a runner-up in the Meaning of Home national writing contest.

Ellyot read her story during the ground-breaking ceremony of Habitat’s phase two project on Leahy’s Lane. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The contest encourages students in Grades 4-6 to share what home means to them through a short essay or poem.

Students were asked what the ‘Meaning of Home’ is to them and 12,265 students were entered into the contest. Ellyot was one of nine runner-ups with her entry ‘What Home Means To Me.’

“I’d like to congratulate Ellyot for her participation and incredible efforts in supporting affordable housing in her community,” said Susan Zambonin, Habitat CEO. “Her winning $10,000 grant will go towards building 12 new affordable homes on the very ground in which she stood and read her winning entry on Tuesday morning. Because of her hard work and heartfelt story, we can help more local families and individuals have access to safe and affordable homeownership.”

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Habitat for Humanity Holds Ground-Breaking Ceremony of Phase Two For a 12-Unit Condo On Leahy's Lane

A ground-breaking ceremony kicked off the development of Habitat for Humanity & Kawartha Region’s 12-unit condo development as Phase Two at Leahy’s Lane on Tuesday morning.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The condo is located next to their Phase One development on the same road that will have 11 two-bedroom units and a single one-bedroom unit.

“With the success of Phase 1, we are excited to be able to provide more affordable homeownership opportunities for local families and individuals in the community,” said Susan Zambonin, Habitat CEO. “Thanks to the continued investment from the Government of Canada and CMHC, more lives will be transformed through a community effort to help families build strength, stability and self-reliance.”

The unit provides local families and individuals with affordable housing through Habitat for Humanity’s model of affordable homeownership according to a press release.

This innovative development is supported by the Government of Canada through the National Housing Strategy’s National Housing Co-Investment Fund. The Government of Canada has invested $600,000 into these homes. The funding helps Habitatget closer to creating 1,117 new affordable homes across Canada.

Applications for Phase Two are open until all 12 homeowners are selected. For more information on applying for Habitat PKR homeownership, visit their website.

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Volunteers Sought For Cleanup of 30 Sleeping Cabins For the Unhoused at Former Peterborough Humane Society Site

Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes (PATH) is seeking volunteers on five consecutive Saturdays to clean up the new site for 30 sleeping cabins for the unhoused, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of PATH.

The cleanup is at the former Peterborough Humane Society building on Lansdowne Street East. The first scheduled date is this Saturday with June 24 as the last day. Times have yet to be scheduled for the cleanup dates at this time.

The announcement of the cabins was made on April 25, as Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) has leased the property on a three-year deal to PATH to build the cabins.

The houses are meant to create a transitional living center for individuals in the community who are unhoused. 

The area requires The City of Peterborough to rezone the area as ‘temporary use’ in order to build the cabins. They are expected to be built by 2024.

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) TRISH CAMPBELL, PATH CHAIR; SUSAN ZAMBONI, HABITAT PKR CEO, KEITH DALTON, PATH LAND ACQUISITION WORKING GROUP LEAD AND JENN MACDONALD, HABITAT KPR COMMUNICATIONS AND DONOR SERVICES MANAGER. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

The following are all the dates for cleanup:

• May 20

• June 3

• June 10

• June 17

• June 24

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Former Peterborough Humane Society Designated As New Site For 30 Sleeping Cabins For the Unhoused

Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) is planning to lease property to Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes (PATH) to build 30 sleeping cabins for unhoused people, announced on Tuesday.

(From left to right) Trish Campbell, PATH chair; Susan Zamboni, Habitat PKR CEO, Keith Dalton, PATH land acquisition working group lead and Jenn MacDonald, Habitat KPR Communications and donor services manager. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The location is behind the former Peterborough Human Society building on Lansdowne Street East. Habitat KPR has agreed to sign a three-year lease with PATH for the latter to use the tiny homes. The former has future plans to build a mixed-use development according to Susan Zamboni, Habitat PKR CEO.

“We will be purchasing the property at the end of June,” she said. “We have an accepted offer and then PATH will start renting it at that point and doing some renovations inside the building to meet their needs for three years.”

The houses are meant to create a transitional living center for individuals in the community who are unhoused. 

“Our goal is to build a bridge between homelessness and stable, permanent housing,” said Campbell.

The area will require rezoning for ‘temporary use’ with the City of Peterborough’s permission which has already started according to Campbell.

“They've already gone through the pre-consultation for that so I feel very confident that they're going to get it and have the support of the City Council when it comes time,” she explained.

The buildings are 30 sleeping cabins for individuals behind the former Peterborough Humane Society (PHS planned for 2024. PHS moved to their new Animal Care Centre in mid-January.

City Council denied a motion for 10 tiny homes to be built but the dismissal did not stop PATH’s determination for getting tiny homes into Peterborough according to Trish Campbell, PATH chair.

“We met a lot of the City staff, planners and Council and it's all good in the end,” she said.

The project is in the early development stages and will host an open house in the coming weeks to provide further information and receive provide feedback. Residents can submit questions, comments or statements of support to pathadm22@gmail.com.

“We want to see as many people in affordable home ownership as possible and in the next three years, we want to see as many people go through the PATH program from sleeping cabins to maybe rent geared to income, rentals to maybe even market. That's the path that we seek,” added Campbell.

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Trent Leasing University-Owned Land to RDC to Build Student Housing Totaling Roughly 215 Beds on Water Street

Trent University has leased property for Residence Development Corporation (RDC) to build and operate an upper-year student housing building with approximately 215 beds near the Symons Campus in Peterborough announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Trent University.

The land is four-acres on Water Street, adjacent to and south of Tim Hortons. The housing complex is projected to open in late 2024. RDC also built University residence units further north on Water Street at Nassau Mills Road, on land leased from the University.

“We are thrilled to announce this new project by RDC to build additional student housing. RDC has a proven track record of building and operating safe, quality student housing,and this development will provide more housing options for upper-year students close to the Symons Campus,” said Julie Davis, vice-president of external relations and development. “There is a need for more housing in Peterborough and this new student housing project is just one of the ways Trent is working to help alleviate some of the housing pressures in our community.”

The land is already been zoned for residential use. RDC will build and operate the three-storey townhouse-style building.

“RDC has been working with the University since 2008 as we began the process of building out the Water Street student housing development,” said Brian Freeman, senior vice president of strategy and development at Campus Living Centres. “We have worked closely with a number of campus stakeholders since then and are proud to be part of the Trent community,”

Plans are underway to build a new residence on the Symons Campus which will be followed by a full replacement and expansion of Otonabee College, adding more than 700 new beds to the University’s current complement of residence spaces according to Trent. The University-Integrated Seniors Village will be anchored by a 224-bed not-for-profit long-term care home expected to break ground in 2024.

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