Politicians and dignitaries take part in a ground-breaking ceremony for a new Canadian Helen Keller Centre. Staff photo.
Area politicians and dignitaries took part in a New Toronto ground-breaking ceremony of a multi-unit Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) for deafblind people.
The 56-unit accessible apartment complex, at 158 Eighth Street, is slated to be completed by July 2025.
‘’This is a critical step in addressing a significant housing shortage in Ontario,” Centre CEO Jennifer Robbins told supporters and donors on November 18. ’’Deafblind consumers from Toronto and beyond can apply for housing in the new building.”
She said the facility will include a 6,500 square foot training centre where more deafblind people can learn essential life skills to aid in their independence while caring for their families and homes.
The complex will help reduce a lengthy CHKC waitlist and give more people with vision and hearing loss access to an independent life. People with other disabilities will use any remaining units.
A ground-breaking took place for the building of a new 56-unit Canadian Helen Keller Centre on Eighth Street.
“The apartment complex will also help to reduce social isolation, improve the quality of life for vulnerable deafblind individuals experiencing homelessness or living in unsafe environments,” Robbins said.
The facility is a partnership between CHKC, the City of Toronto and the federal government through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
The new six-storey building will have one-, two- and three-bedroom homes alongside a range of shared spaces and amenities, including a rooftop garden.
MP James Maloney said the centre was a ‘made in Canada” project in which all parties worked together to make happen.
CHKC user Angele Periard (right) of North Bay will be one of the many deafblind people moving into the new centre. Staff photo.
“A safe and secure home is of vital importance for a better quality of life and strong communities,” he told a gathering of social workers, CHKC and construction staff. This “will provide housing stability for people with disabilities from our community along with the support they require for their success.”
Deputy Mayor Amber Morley said the project “serves residents seeking not just a home that works for them, but a community that can provide them with supports and a sense of belonging.”
Angele Periard, who will be moving into the new centre, said she is excited and cannot wait to move in.
“Now I can save money to buy groceries and visit my family back in North Bay,” she said. “Now I will have a safe space to live in.”
The CKHC also operates Canada’s only residential training centre for people who are deafblind.
CHKC’s training centre has played an important role in the lives of individuals, their families and the community since opening its doors in July 2001.
Dedicated staff and instructors offer classes to improve skills needed for daily living, which facilitates independence and helps people who are deafblind.