Former trailer park residents supported with cheques
Fundraisers alleviate residents' costs of moving from Heritage Park
The 21 families that used to live at the former Heritage Trailer Park in Summerside, P.E.I., were presented with cheques at a small ceremony Saturday afternoon.
Last May, park tenants were notified they must move out by the end of November.
"For the 21 mobile owners — most were between the ages of 74 to 95 — they'd been there for 40 to 45 years," said Don Reid of the Heritage Park Community Response Committee, a group of churches and service clubs that came together to support the residents.
'Upheaval of their lives'
The group launched a GoFundMe campaign in October with the hope of raising $100,000 toward helping tenants with moving costs.
Many of the tenants were concerned about the cost of moving their homes.
"This was a whole upheaval of their lives," said Reid.
Through several fundraisers and private donations, the committee raised enough money to give the former residents $2,952 per household.
The residents are now scattered across the Summerside area. Many said they are living in apartments beyond their means due to a lack of affordable housing in the area and are struggling to pay their bills.