The former Barr’s Motel site on Essa Road has received a makeover and is almost ready to welcome its first six residents thanks to a combined effort to help those dealing with chronic homelessness.
The $2.5 million Lucy’s Place, located near Fairview Road at 170 Essa Rd., was to open this past February, but the severe winter weather pushed off the date until now.
Everyone involved is hoping get the doors open on Monday, April 29 for six people who have been waiting to have a place to call home.
Sara Peddle, executive director at the David Busby Centre, told BarrieToday that everyone involved is excited to have the new location ready and knows the push is on to find more locations to help.
“We’ve been working with Redwood Park Communities on this, but the provincial government, the City of Barrie and the County of Simcoe have all contributed,” said Peddle. “We’ve seen what can be accomplished when groups and organizations come together to help and I feel like there will be more projects searched for and worked on after this.”
The name Lucy’s Place was chosen for a woman named Lucy who died in 2014 after living on the streets of Barrie.
The living residence on Essa Road will include 12 units suitable for either single or shared accommodations, laundry rooms as well as an area for gathering that includes a kitchen, fireplace, common room and sitting area.
A building next to the former motel will also have six rooms for those living with second-stage addiction issues.
Peddle said she believes this will not just be a place to sleep, but a community within a community for those who call it home and a new start.
“The first six people will be in here next week and then after that another six will also move in. The idea with the common areas is that people can mingle and interact with each other, making the whole project more than just a project but a home,” she said.
“This the Housing First model to ending homelessness, in that the thought is if we can just get those dealing chronic homelessness into a residence with a roof and a place to call their own, they can then focus on the rest of the things they need to focus on to get their life in the direction they need," Peddle added.
Some support staff will be on-hand 24/7 to continue to assist and make the transition smooth, she said.
