About Edmond Place
“There is a place in the world for me”
Although Edmond Place is the name for the bricks, boards and mortar at 194 Dowling Avenue that is being transformed into 29 self-contained units, Edmond place is really about people. It is about people like Edmond Yu who used to live in the building, once one of the largest rooming houses in Parkdale. It is about being labeled and fighting the stigma of those labels; it is also about people who believe in a better place, a better way to live. Development of Edmond place is underway, and tenants are scheduled to move in by the end of 2010. We imagine that Edmond Place will be the kind of home Edmond could have called his own.
The development of Edmond place has been guided by the following principles: Prudent use of public funds; Durable and sustainable design; Respect for community context; Design excellence; Meeting community needs; Safety and Security of the building and its tenants; Enhancing accessibility; A consultative process.
Project essentials: A derelict building is transformed into a renewed heritage property with 29 units of permanent, affordable, self-contained apartments through the Affordable Housing Program; an innovative and accessible model of housing; 50-year lease from the City of Toronto; partnership with Habitat Services; interior of units designed by committee of survivor/tenants who have experienced similar barriers; $6.9 million price tag; 30-year mortgage; PARC equity=$500,000; Project goal=$2.71 Million; Goal realized=$2.43 Million; Final amount required=$280,000.
Ambassador Program: The required consultation process created an opportunity for PARC to use internal resources. The ambassadors are PARC members who received training in community engagement and proceeded to “take it to the streets!” to consult with neighbours about the development of Edmond Place. The Ambassador project has garnered positive attention in the community consultation and engagement field. The Ambassador Project received 2 year funding from the Metcalf Foundation to document and develop its unique method of community engagement.
About PARC
The Parkdale Activity – Recreation Centre is a drop-in community centre that imagines a world where extreme poverty no longer exists; where everyone lives with dignity, safety and enough resources and where people can achieve their potential. A board of directors governs PARC, half of whom must be members of PARC while the other half come from the wider community.
In 1977 a group of community volunteers observed large numbers of adults living in Parkdale rooming houses and boarding homes. Many were survivors of the psychiatric system and had little income, few family contacts and no place to go during the day. Thus, PARC was born. It has been growing, responding to Parkdale’s changing needs, ever since.
From its humble beginnings – a couple of people and a stove – PARC now issues hundreds of T4s and runs many community programs. PARC has ten units of supportive housing on the 3rd floor of our building at 1499 Queen Street West, and is in the process of developing 29 more next door at Edmond Place. Over the years, PARC has hired from the membership, shed light on the desperate need for affordable and supportive housing and worked for the improvement of the quality of life of psychiatric survivors and marginalized people in Parkdale and beyond.
To learn more about PARC please visit our website by clicking here.
