Nellie's Women's Shelter opens

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Nellie’s Women’s Shelter has opened their doors in their new home, providing shelter for women and children escaping violence.

Shelter Design and Technical Guidelines

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The City of Toronto has officially released their new Shelter Design and Technical Guidelines this past week. The 277 page document that we authored for them was substantially complete a year ago. Over the last year we updated it to include initial guidance on measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a living document intended to offer best practices in the design of shelters for people in Toronto experiencing homelessness, (which has been accelerated by the pandemic), we will updating the document on at least an annual basis moving forward.

YouthLink Shelter Opening Ceremony

RibbonCuttingOn Friday June 21st, YouthLink celebrated the opening of their new shelter for youth experiencing homelessness. The shelter, for people 16 years to 24 years old, contains 10 emergency and 41 long-term beds, including rooms for couples. It is Toronto’s only youth shelter with a dog kennel with space for at least six dogs, and with the opportunity for dogs to share the same room as their owner.

YouthLink's new shelter opens

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YouthLink opened their emergency shelter for youth this past week as the first part of a two stage opening that will see their transitional youth shelter open next month. The location is within a former warehouse that we converted to YouthLink’s offices 15 years ago, including the creation of a courtyard oasis in the centre of the building, which is surrounded by a low-rise, car-dominated suburban setting.

New Hope Leslieville shelter opens

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Congratulations to The Salvation Army for their opening of the New Hope Leslieville shelter, which began taking in clients Monday, January 8, 2018. The new 60 bed shelter in a former industrial building replaces The Salvation Army’s previous Hope Shelter, which had been closed following the termination of the lease at the previous location. CBC has an article on-line providing more background.

Women's Habitat Outreach

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Congratulations to Women’s Habitat who held an Open House in August at their outreach facility where we recently completed a renovation that included the addition of a new community kitchen.

Our Place Peel Youth Shelter

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We recently completed the expansion of Our Place Peel, the only Emergency Youth Shelter in the Region of Peel. In their Annual Report, they note: “Youth and staff at OPP are benefiting from the completion of an extensive shelter renovation, which has transformed the kitchen, lounge, Resource Room and office areas. The difference is incredible. The space has expanded and opened up so it is more conductive for youth to gather together.”

George Street Revitalization

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The City of Toronto has posted an update on our work with Montgomery Sisam Architects on the George Street Revitalization project, “the site of the existing Seaton House shelter for men, George Street Revitalization will mean the creation of a dynamic mix of housing and programs for homeless and vulnerable seniors alongside the delivery of services to meet the needs of a vibrant and mixed downtown neighbourhood. This is city-building to make a more welcoming and safe street--all in the context of the broader Downtown East Revitalization.

City Council unanimously approved George Street Revitalization in principle in summer 2013. Program plans are being developed with the input of many stakeholders. To date, these plans include five areas:

  • a long-term care home with 384 beds
  • a 100-bed emergency shelter for men
  • an innovative "assisted living" service for men and women who need more care than traditional supportive housing can provide, but less than what a long-term care home involves
  • a service hub for program clients as well as members of the surrounding community
  • affordable housing with supports”

Women's Habitat Shelter

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Our complete renovation and expansion to Toronto’s Women’s Habitat Shelter is now occupied. This 25 bed shelter for women & children fleeing violence provides 10 separate bedrooms where women share a room with their children and a house with nine other women and their families. A large common living room, dining room, kitchen add to the spaces, along with shelter support. An accessible bedroom with accessible bathroom is provided on the main level, with access to additional support space on a lower level.

New LGBT Youth shelter

Hilditch Architect is proud to be the architect for the proposed 25 bed LGBT Youth shelter, “the first of its kind in Canada”.

The Toronto Star reports ”A transitional home for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirited youth will open in the YMCA’s Sprott House, near Bloor St. and Spadina Rd., sometime between May and September, Ward 20 Councillor Joe Cressy has announced on his website.”

George Street Revitalization Project

GSR_CR_KickoffMontgomery Sisam and Hilditch Architect have been awarded Stage One of the City of Toronto’s George Street Revitalization Project. The George Street Revitalization will use the site of the existing Seaton House Shelter to create a dynamic new mix of housing and programs for homeless and vulnerable seniors. The new development will include an innovative combination of emergency shelter, long term care and assisted living beds as well as a service hub to provide a range of services to clients and the surrounding community. The revitalization will also support the creation of a vibrant and safe mixed-use neighbourhood. Montgomery Sisam and Hilditch Architect have been delivering projects that help people break barriers to health and community services, provide long term care, affordable housing, and emergency shelter for over 30 years. We are excited to harness all of our collective “lessons learned” into a remarkable project of human and community renewal.

Vanauley Street YMCA opens

VanauleyFrontCropped-960The YMCA has opened their new Vanauley Street YMCA, containing an emergency shelter, daily drop-in, employment program and other support services for at-risk and homeless youth in the GTA. Located near Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue, the facility is the first of 10 new Centres of Community the YMCA of Greater Toronto is building as part of their bold expansion plans.