Pick Family Legacy Lives On Through New Affordable Housing at The Mount
/By Scott Arnold
An emotional dedication ceremony celebrated a transformational gift that completed 11 new affordable housing apartments while reminding everyone that behind every donation is a life being changed.
Martin and denise pick (on the left) and dr. Rardi Van Heest and charles pick with the plaque that was unveilled at the mount on friday in honour of the donation from the remembering otto and marie pick charitable foundation (photo by scott arnold)
There were plenty of thank yous, speeches and presentations inside Austin Doran Hall on Friday morning, but it was one resident's story that reminded everyone exactly why they had gathered.
The Mount Community Centre officially dedicated its newest residential wing in honour of the Remembering Otto and Marie Pick Charitable Foundation, recognizing the family's transformational donation that helped complete 11 new affordable housing apartments and structural improvements to the historic building. The project marked the completion of the final residential section of The Mount, with construction finishing in October 2025.
Board Chair Stephen Kylie said the donation was about much more than completing a construction project.
"You didn't just write a cheque, you invested deeply in the people this building will serve in our community for years to come," Kylie told the Pick family.
martin pick shaking hands with mount board chair stephen kylie and the mayor jeff leal and the rest of the pick family look on (photo by scott arnold)
Throughout the ceremony, speaker after speaker praised the Pick family's generosity and commitment to helping others. Community leaders, including Mayor Jeff Leal and MPP Dave Smith, joined Mount Community Centre staff, volunteers and supporters in celebrating both the family's legacy and the impact the new apartments will have on affordable housing in Peterborough.
mayor jeff leal, the pick family and board members from the mount gathered for a picture after a touching ceremony today to announce the details of a donation from the remembering otto and marie pick charitable foundation (photo by scott arnold)
But the focus wasn't simply on the building itself. It was about what those apartments now mean for the people who call them home.
One of those people is Lisa Masters.
Fighting back emotion, Masters shared how a series of life-changing events, including health challenges, financial struggles and isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, left her searching for somewhere safe and affordable to live.
"I am one of the recipients of your generosity," Masters said.
She told those gathered that finding a home at The Mount changed everything. For someone living on a disability pension while awaiting a kidney transplant, having a clean, safe and supportive place to live has made an enormous difference, not only to her physical health but to her outlook on life.
"It's very difficult to find a safe place that is clean... and most of all makes you feel like you actually have a home," she said.
Her heartfelt remarks left many in the room visibly emotional.
For Charles Pick, grandson of Otto and Marie Pick, hearing her story became the defining moment of the day.
"Lisa, thank you for sharing your story," Pick began before telling the audience, "You put a face on that and it really adds so much more meaning to what we do."
lisa masters listening to a speaker today at the mount community centre with the pick family behind her. masters shared a very emotional story about her journey and how the donation from the pick family have helped her find a safe place to call home (photo by scott arnold)
During his remarks, Pick reflected on the foundation created to honour his grandparents, who fled Czechoslovakia just months before the Nazi invasion in 1938 and eventually built a successful seed business after arriving in Canada.
That business later grew into one of the world's largest forage seed companies before being sold in 2013. The proceeds helped expand the family's charitable foundation, allowing it to support projects focused on healthcare, housing, food security and poverty.
The foundation's mission, he explained, is rooted in helping people facing social need while supporting quality healthcare, with the hope that investments like affordable housing create positive ripple effects throughout the community.
Following the ceremony, Pick and his wife, Dr. Rardi Van Heest, said Masters' story gave deeper meaning to the family's philanthropy.
"When we start donating and we think about what we want to achieve, we think of a building, rooms, apartments," Van Heest said. "It's really nice when you actually get to hear from somebody who's there, who's using it. It provides a lot of context to everything we do because you don't always get to see the people that you impact."
Pick agreed, saying it was a powerful reminder that the project was never just about constructing apartments.
"It's not just rooms and numbers," he said. "It's an entire person's life that is being dramatically changed."
He admitted his family isn't comfortable being the centre of attention and said hearing from residents was far more meaningful than receiving recognition.
"It was nice to be able to focus on what our work had actually been able to accomplish."
mpp dave smith (right) presented ba certificate to board chair stephen kylie (middle) and Charles pick (photo by scott arnold)
The foundation's connection to Peterborough runs deep.
Although the Pick family's charitable work stretches across Ontario, Peterborough has become an important part of that legacy. Pick said his parents have lived in the city since the early 1990s, making it a community the family genuinely wants to invest in.
"We've been very fortunate," he said. "To be able to give back is a privilege for us because it creates a better place for the people that we're helping, but also for us too."
Van Heest added that giving back simply comes with the ability to help.
"When you have the ability to do something, I think you should. Because if not us, then who? And if not now, then when?" she said.
The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of commemorative plaques that will permanently recognize the Pick family's contribution and ensure future residents know the story behind the new wing.
the mount community centre unveilled the plaque that will go near the entrance, recognizing the generous donation from the remembering otto and marie charitable foundation (photo by
