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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, M ay 12 ,2 02 2 | 20 A NEWWAY TO STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY! TRUSTED LOCAL NEWS ACROSS ONTARIO: OFFER ENDS JULY 10, 2022. VISIT communitynews.pressreader.com TODAY! *Your credit card will be charged $19.99 plus tax for an annual upfront subscription plan. At the end of your one-year fi xed term, your subscription will automatically renew for an additional one-year fi xed term at the prevailing rate plus tax unless you contact us with your cancellation request at least two days prior to the end of your subscription term. Annual upfront subscription plans are not refundable. This subscription plan includes unlimited digital access to all Metroland community newspapers listed at communitynews.pressreader.com.. Community newspaper selection is subject to change without notice. You can contact us at the Customer Service Centre by calling 1-833-440-7474 or by email at customersupport@torstar.ca. Once you complete the subscription form, you can sign in to the ePaper from communitynews.pressreader.com. You will need to sign in using the email and password you set up for this subscription. Take advantage of this limited-time introductory offer $1999*FOR A YEAR! Check out our new all access Community News ePaper subscription. Get full access to all our weekly community newspapers online, from one convenient website. We've got you covered Our local journalists report on the things that are important to you and your neighbours; whether it's local politics, schools businesses or upcoming community events--if you're thinking about it, chances are we're writing about it. Enjoy access to trusted local news and information from over 10 regions throughout Ontario, plus get access to weekly digital fl yers from save.ca. • Cambridge • Durham • Guelph • Halton • Hamilton • Kawartha • Muskoka • Niagara • Ottawa Valley • Peel • Simcoe County • Toronto • York Region as a result of providing a dignified space in our com- munity and wrapping peo- ple with health and hous- ing supports," Bondy said. The House of Friend- ship's 24-7 ShelterCare model that was piloted out of local hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic was displaced by a fire at the Inn of Waterloo last year. With $8.5 million in pro- vincial funding announced in January, the non-profit service provider is expand- ing the model in a perma- nent space to provide tran- sitional housing for up to 100 men who are experienc- ing homelessness and don't have a safe place to stay, with provision of primary care, mental health and ad- dictions services and help to find stable housing. The entire first floor will be accessible, and 20 per cent of the participant rooms will have barrier- free fixtures. Walls are currently be- ing torn down to create larger spaces for intake and an on-site medical clinic, as well as dedicated space for the region's nee- dle syringe program. "About 97 per cent of the folks we serve are actively navigating an addiction, so we want to bring in com- munity partners who are supporting folks around harm reduction, safe use, addiction services and peer base supports," said Bondy. "We want to make sure this is a place that's not a shameful part of their journey, so that they are able to get the supports they need and be safe." The shelter's design, supported by WalterFedy, has been carefully devel- oped with a "trauma-fo- cused lens," with the goal of providing open, commu- nal spaces with outdoor el- ements, calming colour palettes and unobtrusive lighting. "This wasn't a hotel that had party rooms or com- munity spaces or lounges or conference rooms, so we're building a lot of that work in to make sure that this building is really going to work for the program and for the folks that are going to be staying with us," Bondy said. "Now is the time to get this facility right," said House of Friendship exec- utive director John Neu- feld. "We must have the long term in mind and do all we can to set this up for suc- cess so that the individuals who come to this Shelter- Care program will achieve their best possible out- comes. We cannot short- change the process." The project is supported by a $2.5-million loan from the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation and $570,000 in annual cap- ital financing support from the region toward mort- gage and renovation costs. An operational agree- ment including a collec- tion of allied health care professionals in primary care and addictions is still NEWS Continued from page 3 'I REALLY SEE THIS ALSO AS AN INCUBATION SITE WHERE WE CAN LEARN' Sliding doors and large windows in guest rooms will be removed and replaced by smaller punch windows, wall infill and corregated metal siding on the exterior. Metroland File Photo See - page 21