Housing, addictions projects could sprout this spring in Mynarski, Point Douglas wards

There's shattered glass on the doorstep of 573 Mountain Ave. A piece of plywood covers part of the front door. Stickers advertising manicures and pedicures remain plastered in the main window.

But this vacant building could soon become a real home if all goes well, according to Leslie Bellingham.

"It's just really building permits left to get, and then we'll get started," said the director of partnerships for Raising the Roof.

The national, non-profit group helps build specific, affordable housing by working with existing neighbourhood groups in Canadian cities.

Housing for families, youth

Bellingham says 573 Mountain will become housing for families and youth, based on input from The Winnipeg Boldness Project, Fearless R2W and the North End Community Renewal Corp. — grassroots groups that help vulnerable people in the area.

"They really identified, especially in that neighbourhood, the need for larger units that would be good for families," Bellingham said in an interview.

"We really want to make those available primarily to Indigenous families who are at risk of homelessness, or who are at risk of child apprehension without safe, stable and affordable housing."

The family units will be on the main and top floor, while the basement will be used for youth who are aging out of care, Bellingham says.

This project in the Mynarski ward will be the first in Winnipeg for Raising the Roof. The group purchased the vacant building and will act as the developer. The staff at Fearless R2W are the ones who will help the families and young people meet their goals and live in the apartments.

The city's Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee gave the project the green light on Friday.

Bellingham predicts it will be a few weeks to confirm permits, and then renovations can begin — all with a local construction company that employs people having a hard time getting jobs, including newcomers or people who were recently incarcerated.

She says the project is about $30,000 shy of being fully funded.

Religion-based addictions program

Just south of that housing project sits a large, former warehouse at 83 Kate St. The building now houses the offices for Adult and Teen Challenge of Central Canada. The national group uses evangelism and an abstinence-based approach to help people with their addictions, according to Daniel Emond.

"Whether you're just asking for the first time for help to find freedom from your addiction, or you're three years sober and part of a sober living community, our approach is that every stage is important and needs support," the president and CEO for the local chapter of the organization said in an interview.

The organization also has treatment centres and offices in other Manitoba communities, including Brandon and Steinbach.

Emond's goal is for the building at 83 Kate St. to become a "recovery supercentre" of addictions programming. The building would include 18 units for clients and potentially their families to stay to get help, according to a report to the city. The goal, Emond says , is for the building to offer start-to-end treatment.

Though Emond was at city hall on Friday to discuss putting up a fence and reducing parking space, the area's city councillor brought up more societal issues. Coun. Vivan Santos (Point Douglas) said she was concerned the group didn't have any culturally sensitive programming to help First Nations community members address the effects of residential schools.

"This is a very sensitive topic for myself," Santos told the meeting. "My ward is very diverse. We have a lot of sensitive issues dealing with addictions, homelessness and poverty."

Root causes

While Emond said the "organization has always been committed to reconciliation," Santos repeated her emphasis on having greater acknowledgement of the people in the area and what may be the root causes of addictions. She referred to the call for Siloam Mission to include Indigenous practices in their programming.

"I hope we can learn from past mistakes and realize these are the demands that are needed from our community," she said.

"Putting that on the forefront of everybody's mind is very important for me. Programing like this is very important for me and for my neighbourhood, but I'm a big advocate for reconciliation."

Despite her concerns, Santos says she supports the project.

"I want to commend the work they're doing," she said."I know I was a little harsh with them in the beginning, but I want to be respectful here. This situation is very sensitive to me … and I appreciate them answering my questions."

Emond says he believes the area is perfect for his program, citing its proximity to the Health Sciences Centre, schools and churches.

The committee authorized the project, but Emond says it's still in the fundraising phase. So far, they've raised $1 million out of a total $8.5 million.