Two new supportive housing initiatives are set to launch in London and St. Thomas, providing homes and essential services for nearly 130 individuals in need across both cities.
Indwell, a Christian charity focused on housing, along with city officials celebrated the opening of a project in London while breaking ground on another site in St. Thomas on Thursday. Both locations will feature staff available on-site to assist residents as they settle into their new homes.
“We’ve been operating for over 50 years, and we’ve witnessed many lives transformed, so it’s truly special to continue meeting the needs that many communities are facing,” said Indwell’s executive director Natasha Thuemler.
“We hear from those living within our programs about how the on-site supports help stabilize their lives and create opportunities for the futures they envision.”
In London, developers officially welcomed residents to Coves Landing at 46 Elmwood Place, a repurposed long-term care facility that offers 50 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
A groundbreaking ceremony was also held earlier that day in St. Thomas at 21 Balaclava Street, where an old elementary school building is set to be transformed into a residence featuring 78 units slated for completion by summer 2027.
Balaclava Crossing will provide 36 studio and one-bedroom units inside the former school building, alongside an additional structure containing 42 apartments. The project has secured $29.9 million in funding from various government sources.
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The site of this former elementary school building in St. Thomas is expected to house 78 people when it opens in 2027. (Isha Bhargava/CBC)
This marks Indwell’s third supportive housing initiative in St. Thomas, adding to Railway City Lofts and The Station, which together contain 60 units.
These projects have played a significant role in reducing homelessness by about 30 percent in St. Thomas, helping individuals achieve long-term stability while revitalizing the city, according to Mayor Joe Preston.
“[The difference] has been incredible from a street perspective. Our downtown area has become much more lively as we’re able to house people,” said Preston, noting that other municipalities are looking up to St. Thomas for inspiration.
“Stop just having meetings and start taking action because we recognize that if someone is experiencing homelessness, it should be a top priority for municipal and provincial governments.”
Residents will be chosen through the city’s coordinated access list based on names prioritized for housing assistance. Currently around 100 individuals are listed there; developing Balaclava Crossing will bring St. Thomas closer to its goal of achieving “zero homelessness,” Preston stated.
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Honoring history while crafting new narratives
The Balaclava Crossing project has been underway for two years as officials sought ways to preserve the century-old structure while also serving community needs, said Preston. The former Balaclava Public School is recognized as a heritage site built back in 1898 but was closed down officially by Thames Valley District School Board back in 2011 before being used as an adult-education center until two years ago. “It really started seeing less usage over time so it made sense for us to get involved with its purchase,” said Preston. “Having been around since the late 1800s makes preserving it particularly fitting within such an historical neighborhood.” For developers like Jeff Neven, CEO of Indwell’s family of companies, keeping some aspects of the old building alive while modernizing it is crucial; he shared anecdotes about students’ names etched into walls along with other special memories tied to the space. Neven believes adaptive reuse of heritage buildings carries greater meaning when they serve new functions. “One thing we love about adapting these historic structures is it’s really symbolic of life changes and possibilities,” he stated. “This building holds many stories , and those who call it home will each have their own journey , with opportunities ahead.”Source link
