Orleans church wants to convert property to affordable housing units
An Orléans church wants to give back to the community by developing its property into an affordable housing complex.
The plan still needs city approval, but would include 81 residential units.
The proposed site, which is currently a green field, is at 360 Kennedy Lane East, next to the Queenswood United Church.
Kindred Works CEO, Tim Blair, wants to develop the area and build 81 residential units.
“It would involve housing 160 residents in a combination of townhomes and three-storey walk ups that allow front doors and backyards,” said Blair.
Blair says a third of the units would be below market rent to help address the affordable housing crisis.
“We would love to have shovels in the ground this fall,” he said. “We are really waiting right now on the city and the planning approval process that needs to occur, but we know that we are in a housing crisis so every time or every delay is a delay in getting people homes that they need.”
The land is the property of the Queenswood United Church and still has to be rezoned for residential use.
“We are transferring ownership over to the project itself,” said Rosemarie MacLennan, the property development committee chair for the church.
MacLennan says the church would stay as a tenant.
“We will continue as a congregation here as we need space for worship,” she said. “We will also have the space for community groups.”
Some neighbours have concerns with the proposed project.
"I realize it’s mostly their property, but at the end of the day green space is required around here and we don’t have enough of it,” said Jeff Paul, who lives in the area.
“The end result is we need it and we don’t have enough parking," he said.
The project is still in the municipal approval process and the developer says a date for council to vote on the project hasn’t been set.
Blair says they are working on seven other similar projects involving church property and affordable housing in cities across Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.