Love, dignity and hope are the core values of Indwell, a registered Christian charity, that guide its ‘decisions, approach and work they do on a daily basis,’ said Leah Logan, Regional Manager for the Norfolk-Waterloo region Thursday at the grand opening of Dogwood Suites at 41 Norfolk Street South, Simcoe
“Everybody deserves love, dignity and hope, and that is why we are here today,” said Logan speaking to a group of supporters, community donors, tenants, and dignitaries.
“What a day of celebration we have today – the opening of 51 affordable, supportive housing apartments here at Dogwood Suites.”
Investment in a system of supportive, affordable housing has a value that impacts more than people who live in it – it restores community capacity for care, she said.
“We began the development of this system with Hambleton Hall (in Simcoe) in 2016 where we have seen housing become a space where recovery begins. It is a place to feel at home, a place to retreat and relax, and a place where people become connected to their neighbors and to their community that cares.”
Indwell serves people who require deep affordability; have mental health, physical disabilities and/or addictions; and desire – and can flourish in – supportive housing.
The building at 41 Norfolk South (former Norfolk Inn) required significant renovating and upgrading. Many businesses and organizations, and multiple levels of government, contributed to the Indwell project.
It was the same building suggested to Indwell when they first considered a Norfolk County project, said Logan.
“That speaks volumes to a community that cares so deeply about ‘hope and homes for all’ that even after establishing ourselves at Hambleton Hall, you continued to suggest we take on this project.”
“You worked so hard to get this done and I want to congratulate you,” said Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Parliamentary Secretary to the federal Ministry of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion, “because yes, (we) can give you the money, but you did the work. I want to say thank you for the hard work you have done – and the result – in this community.”
Michael Parsa, MPP Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Housing said, “This project is providing housing supports to those at risk of homelessness in our community, and barrier-free units to people with disabilities.
“This location is close to downtown, grocery shopping, the hospital, library, parks and public transit,” said Parsa. “Without a question, Dogwood Suites will make a real difference to the people here in this community.”
“The transformation of this building is absolutely amazing,” said Bobbi Ann Brady, MPP Haldimand-Norfolk, who a few years ago had attended Dogwood Suites’ ground-breaking ceremony.
“Some time after that a proposal was put forward to add a third floor,” said Brady. “Toby (former MPP Toby Barrett) and (Municipal Affairs and Housing) Minister (Steve) Clark supported that concept when it was brought forward. It made economic sense to do so, so I think that day was a bit of a turning point in many ways.
“It is our hope that Indwell can help alleviate the homeless situation in Haldimand-Norfolk with the 51 units at Dogwood Suites. It’s a serious problem, not only here in our community, but right across the province.”
There are also commercial spaces on the ground floor, she noted.
“I’m very excited to see what these commercial spaces will bring to our downtown. And I love the idea of the green space on the rooftop and the airy skylight, it is a place of hope and I could sense that as I was touring it this afternoon.”
Norfolk Mayor Kristal Chopp said there were challenges in Dogwood Suites’ development including COVID-19, rising material costs and even a small fire at the site.
“With the aim of assisting those in our community, Indwell and their volunteers and staff, they persevered through all of it,” said Chopp.
“We at Norfolk County are certainly also happy to be part of this transformation. We’ve already seen so many amazing things that Indwell brings to the communities that they partner with… and I think we can all agree that a similar transformation was long past due here at a place that was once described as a pretty hopeless place. I think it is full of hope now.”
Indwell currently provides affordable housing to more than 800 tenants across southwestern Ontario, including those at a 40-unit Hambleton Hall in Simcoe.
“It (Dogwood Suites) really is a warm, wonderful home,” said Linda Nydam, a construction project manager with Indwell. “It’s pretty incredible and that’s due to the people who live here, each and every one of them.”
“Moving here is amazing,” said Laura Waite, a tenant at Dogwood Suites for nearly five weeks. “It’s small, but I can get a lot done in a quicker amount of time and it’s closer to everything that people here will go to. I go to the drug store, to my work – I work at Food Basics – and I walk to the pool because I am a Special Olympian swimmer.
“We have a wonderful staff and we do a lot of fun things like coffee time, bingo, we had a dance party, so we do a lot of fun things here,” said Waite.