Mississippi Mills resident donating $1 million from home sale to youth foundations

Al Potvin and his wife Shirley. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa)

MISSISSIPPI MILLS, ONT. -

Al Potvin has spent over 60 years living in Mississippi Mills along the riverfront.

His property consists of 17 acres of riverfront and trails that he invites dog walkers, cyclists, and anyone who pleases to use whenever they want.

Now, he’s putting it up for sale.

Into his 80s, Potvin is living with Parkinson ’s disease and can no longer care for his estate. As a way to continue the lands usage Potvin is selling the entire space for redevelopment, and will be taking $1 million from the sale to donate to youth foundations in Mississippi Mills.

"It was a really tough decision," Potvin says of selling his home he has had since the 1980s. "The community has been so good to us and we want to give back to them."

Potvin’s vision with the land is to allow space for residential building, in a town that is busting with expansion. However, those that enjoy walking the property and riverfront will not lose that space.

"Children’s play areas that intertwine with gardens and trails and community gardens," says family friend and project manager Tom Affleck, who is helping make Potvin’s vision a reality.

"So it’s going to be a really inspiring development, one that is entirely in line with Al’s vision for what he wants for the property."

Using profits from the sale, $1 million will be donated to the Al Potvin Family Foundation, which has partnered with Champions 4 Kids, a youth organization run by the Upper Canada District School Board.

The donation will be used to help underprivileged youth in Mississippi Mills access academic tutoring, counselling, and life opportunities such as sports, music lessons, and travelling.

"As we move through this pandemic I think it makes a lot of sense that students are itching to get out there, get busy, and get back to those activities that are fun," says Casey Nelson, president of Champions 4 Kids, who adds that the collaboration between the two organizations is a perfect fit.

"Since 2008, Champions 4 Kids has been able to disperse $2 million," says Nelson, "So anytime we can get a million dollars to disperse is obviously well received and that will go to great use."

"The focus of this whole thing are the children," says Potvin’s wife Shirley Deugo-Fulton. "We are excited to see what they’ll do in their lives."