Simcoe County hopes to add a school and life skills centre to the ground floor of the apartment buildings currently being built on the corner of Second and High Street.
Brad Spiewak, maintenance and facilities manager for the County of Simcoe was at Collingwood council last night with an application asking the town to permit the additional uses at the site.
The building is a five-storey unit with commercial units on the ground floor and single-bedroom seniors' apartments on floors two through five.
The county already had approval from the town for commercial units, but extra approvals were required for a school and life skills centre.
According to the county’s application, the ground floor will include an office for the Simcoe County Housing Corporation, and other potential tenants include the Simcoe County District School Board Adult Learning Centre and Simcoe County Community Services.
Simcoe County Community Services is a charity providing child and adult programming and support for those with intellectual disabilities.
Collingwood council hosted a public meeting on the county’s request to permit the school and life skills centre in the building on Monday night, Aug. 27. Council will make a final decision on the matter at a later council meeting.
The seniors' apartment building is one of two being built on the site located at High, Second and Elm Streets. The other building is a six-storey residential apartment building geared to families with one, two and three-bedroom options.
Last year there were 30 townhouse units on the property that were operated as rent-geared-to-income units. The units were torn down to make room for the 147 units being built in the two apartment buildings.
Those living in the townhouses were given a choice to stay in Collingwood or move to another city. According to Spiewak, some chose to move away, but most stayed.
Those residents will be given first priority for the new units being built if they choose to move back to the site. Their rent arrangement will still be geared to income, but the rest of the units will be affordable housing.
According to Spiewak, the new county-owned apartments will be available for rent at 70 per cent of the average market rate.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation suggests the average market rate for a one-bedroom apartment in Collingwood is $898 plus utilities. For a two-bedroom apartment, the price average market rate is $1,063 plus utilities.
At the County apartment buildings, tenants will pay about $630/month for a one-bedroom unit and $744 for a two-bedroom unit.
If all goes according to plan, the first apartment building, which contains 55-units ranging from one to three bedrooms, will be complete by February 2019. The county will be advertising the available units starting next month. Watch the county’s website, and local housing resource centres for more details.
The new seniors' apartment building will is slated for completion in June 2019, according to Spiewak. It will include 92 one-bedroom units about 600 square feet and fully accessible according to provincial standards. There will also be a common room available to residents for private and public parties and events and a guest suite available for a small fee for visitors.
“The common rooms see a lot of bookings, for parties, bingo, music, and dinners,” said Spiewak. “Through the common space we want to promote congregation and socialization and reduce that senior isolation. As people age and maybe don’t feel comfortable coming out of the apartment, they still have options.”
There will also be a garden available to the tenants to tend and grow flowers or vegetables if they wish. The current bus stop which is near the intersection of High and First Street will be relocated to be in front of the new seniors' building and commercial units.
The mixed-use building is a relatively new initiative by the county in its housing strategy.
“We’re bringing the social services closer to the residents that need it, in addition to the community, and this way the county can locate some of its own services in its own building rather than paying a lease to a different landlord,” said Spiewak. “It shows a lot of fiscal prudence. By intensifying an existing site, that’s saving buying the land somewhere else.”
Spiewak said the site is a “dynamite location” because it’s within walking distance of so many shopping centres and services and it’s along the regular transit route.
“The uses of an adult education centre and other life skills fit well with the clientele in the community as well,” said Spiewak. “The hub model is somewhat new. The benefits of a social services hub are gaining traction throughout the province.”
He said the project is going well, and many contracts including windows, welding and electrical work have been awarded to Collingwood and Simcoe County businesses.
