Former Religious Residence Converting Into Housing With Community Help
/The former Mount St. Joseph’s complex is being renovated into housing units by The Mount Community Centre (MCC) with help from more than 200 volunteers.
Former Winnipeg resident Andi van Koeverden (pictured) has completed her Bachelor of Education Degree at the University of Manitoba. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Peterborough. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The 10-acre property was purchased back in 2013 and is a $4 million campaign to fully complete construction, all backed by volunteers.
It is being built by Beavermead Construction however work such as painting, furnishing or landscaping is done through volunteers.
This is the building’s final phase of construction where 63 housing units have already been developed since 2013. Construction this fall will add another five housing units and project completion will total 74 residential units.
Andi van Koeverden, MCC Director of Strategic Advancement acknowledges the affordable housing problem that has been a complaint by several Peterborough citizens and believes this is another step towards reliving that issue.
“In 2014, the City and Counsel committed to building 500 affordable units in 10 years,” she said. “We have added 63 units to that count. That is quite substantial.”
The units already contain several amenities such as a food centre, office space, public venue space and a café (currently closed due to COVID-19).
The following is where the money is being invested:
$2,665,000 Centre & North Wing Renovations
$710,000 Food Centre
$500,000 Sustainability Fund
$125,000 Grounds & Gardens
