Forty-nine people will have a new safe and secure place to call home, as McCurdy Place in Rutland is set to open its doors to its new residents.
A project years in the making, the new four-storey supportive housing will help its residents progress through their recovery journeys.
In addition to the two 24/7 staff members, McCurdy Place will offer a myriad of supports.
“One of those (services) being a mental health and abuse specialist, who will work with all 49 individuals who are moving in here,” said Jen Kanters, Canadian Mental Health Association’s housing and homeless services associate director.
Kanters said the focus will be helping residents reintegrate back into the community.
“We are also going to engage with programming outside,” said Kanters.
“That includes life skills, teaching individuals activities of daily living, job and employment training and connecting to the greater community of Rutland.”
Seventeen of the 49 residents are youth and will have their own designated floor.
“We are building a partnership with the Ministry of Children and Family Development so we can have a focus on youth, who are transitioning out of care,” said Kanters.
Located at 130 McCurdy Road in Rutland, the project has met some opposition from the surrounding neighbourhood in years past.
Christopher Bocskei, a Rutland resident who was opposed to the development back in 2019, recently took a tour of the facility.
“I’m pretty happy with the changes they’ve made. They’ve respected what the public said when (we) spoke out,” said Bocskei.
However, some concerns remain.
One is location as the supportive facility is close to a number of schools.
“It’s still a location where there is a probability of exposure to the kids,” said Bocskei.
“There is always a chance one of our kids can be affected by it and that’s what (the opposition) has been about, protecting our kids from exposure.”
The $12.4 million facility is opening on Monday.
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