Church, charity to build affordable housing
Parishioners who vowed that a North End affordable housing project on their new church lands had “not a chance on God’s green earth” of happening are now overjoyed it is proceeding.
Hughson Street Baptist Church and Indwell — a Christian charity that creates affordable housing — have teamed up to build a 45-unit apartment building beside a new two-storey church at 500 James St. N.
At the groundbreaking ceremony Friday, Pastor Dwayne Cline recounted pointing out North End properties suitable for affordable housing development to Indwell, but when asked if the Hughson Baptist lands bought on James St. in 2011 could be included, Cline’s answer was “no.”
When Cline later mentioned the idea to his church board, board members agreed with him — with one saying “never on God’s green earth” would this happen.
But Cline said God worked their hearts and “two weeks later, we decided to do this.” The board member who had said “never” is now the most enthusiastic, he added.
The mostly vacant, old building now at 500 James St. is scheduled for demolition starting Nov. 6. Completion of the new church (it will be renamed) and the six-storey apartment building is slated for June 2019.
Cline told the dignitaries and others at the groundbreaking that the joint project is a fitting project for Hughson Baptist, since 45 per cent of its neighbours live in rental housing.
The church — located for years on Hughson Street around the corner from the James site, and now holding Sunday services in Bennetto elementary school — has served the North End for 130 years since 1887.
“As the North End has gentrified with (the availability of) GO, the waterfront development, new housing … many of our neighbours were being displaced,” Cline said about the importance of this project. Indwell’s Graham Cubitt said gentrification was putting a lot of pressure on property prices and was driving out affordable housing. This project will create an inclusive community, he said.
The $17-million project has received $6.3 million in federal and provincial funding as well as help from the city (in the form of reduced development fees). The parish is fundraising for the rest of the $8 million needed for the apartment building and its new church.
Cubitt said the apartments will have a Passive House design, developed in Germany, which means it will use 80 to 90 per cent less energy than a normal building of that size.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger thanked Hughson Baptist for helping with affordable housing.
“It is important to do this … if every church that is bigger than it needs to be did this, we wouldn’t have an affordable housing problem,” he said.
For more on the apartments, including information on how to apply, see indwell.ca or call 905-529-0454.