Change is happening at the site of a new multi-million-dollar supportive housing project in north Barrie.
The transitional housing project on Lillian Crescent, which will include 12 fully furnished apartments for families facing a housing crisis, is being spearheaded by Redwood Park Communities and the Salvation Army. It's located on the Salvation Army Barrie Citadel property near Livingstone Street West and Anne Street North.
Redwood Park communications director Jennifer van Gennip said the partnership serves as the first and only project of its kind for families in Barrie.
“Together with the Salvation Army, we are creating a safety net so that a housing crisis will be a speed bump and not an off-ramp for the families who have nowhere else to go," she said.
Seeing progress occurring at the site is exciting, said Glenn van Gulik, who serves as the divisional secretary of public relations for the Salvation Army in Ontario.
“It’s great to see the progress of the building, and I understand that we are heading into a time where we are going to start seeing walls going up and trusses going up,” he told BarrieToday, adding the organization as a whole is excited to see the 12 families get moved into the units as quickly as possible.
“We know the cost of living is going up and that people are dealing with that rise — just like all of us — but those that are already marginalized and struggling going paycheque to paycheque, they need this now more than ever," van Gulik added.
The Salvation Army says it is committed to seeing the project through as quickly as possible to ensure the families are in their own supportive housing units, and supported with the resources they need to be successful. Van Gulik noted this type of project is “critically important” given the ongoing rise in the number of people who are struggling to make ends meet.
“Over the last few years, we have been seeing an increase in families who are needing added support, and many coming to the Salvation Army for the very first time and reaching out for assistance … whether that’s dealing with the challenges of food insecurity or needing to have some support as it relates to housing or whatever that might be,” he said. “We are seeing numbers rising in terms of the number of families needing to find safe, supportive housing. Adding 12 apartments that are going to be able to support families in need, in Barrie, is critically important.
“It’s not just about having a place to live, but also about ensuring they have the proper service in place to support the families. It’s about making sure they’re successful as they make this transition.”
Van Gulik says the Salvation Army looks forward to being able to continue the partnership with Redwood Park — and other local organizations — in the future to be able to ensure those who need these types of support have them readily available.
“We are always better together. I think one of the great values of partnerships is that we all bring something to the table, something that is unique and collaborative and that dovetails into what each other is doing,” he said. “For a community, it creates confidence … that the City of Barrie, Simcoe County, the province, and organizations like the Salvation Army and so many others, are working together. That makes a big difference, especially as we try to bring these things to bear as quickly as possible to support families and as we look to explore new ways.”
The 14,000-square-foot facility on Lillian Crescent will provide families with a safe place to get back on their feet, as well as the support needed to do so, acknowledged van Gennip, who said Redwood Park officials see firsthand at their other sites the impact that a housing crisis — and the trauma that can come with it — can have on a family, sometimes for generations.
“Our whole community is stronger when those types of situations can be avoided in the first place,” she said. “The idea of becoming homeless has never been a more relatable concern. As housing costs continue to rise, more and more families are seeing how this could happen to anyone. We are hoping the message of helping keep families together and housed, especially at Christmas, will resonate with the community and that we can make good progress in raising the rest of the funds needed over the next few months.”
The Family Short-Term Supportive Housing Centre is a $4.5-million project, which van Gennip noted is receiving financial support though the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), under the federal government’s National Housing Strategy, in the amount of $1.37 million. The Salvation Army has contributed $500,000 — in addition to the land — while the City of Barrie has contributed approximately $420,000.
“That has left $2.2 million for Redwood to raise, of which $1.5 million has already been donated by individuals, local businesses, foundations, and service clubs,” van Gennip said.
Since beginning the public phase of the campaign in September, van Gennip told BarrieToday they have received $30,000 in donations toward the remaining $700,000 needed to meet the goal.
In the meantime, the underground work for sewage, drainage, water supply, and electrical are all close to completed, and the foundation has been poured, she said, adding they are keeping their fingers crossed that both the weather and supply chains co-operate in order to allow the walls and roof trusses to go up this month.
“The progress should be visible in the coming weeks as the building comes out of the ground. Things are on track to welcome our first families in summer 2023," van Gennip said.
