Abbeyfield gets formal announcement

On Monday afternoon, Dufferin-Caledon MP David Tilson joined a number of local politicians to announce $1.8 million in funding from the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the Region of Peel.

The funding is part of a $1.2 billion joint investment under the amended Canada Ontario Affordable Housing Program Agreement, inclusive of funding from the Canadian Economic Action Plan as well.

The announcement was made at 20 Walkers Road East, in Caledon East, the future home of the Abbeyfield senior home. According to the accompanying release, the announcement "recognized the successful application by Abbeyfield Houses Society of Caledon to add 12 units of affordable housing for low income seniors."

"This is for those people who want to remain close to family and friends," said Tilson. "We've injected $7.8 billion across the country for safe and affordable housing, and $1.2 billion across Ontario. There will be 36 projects begun in Ontario before the end of September, and today is an important step for Caledon East."

"It shows what we can do if we work together."

The Abbeyfield home will be a 12 unit home for seniors who don't wish to tackle the daily grind of meal making and house cleaning. It is an intimate setting for seniors who want to age gracefully within their community, and has all the locals clamoring to see the first one.

"I don't need to tell you what this does for Caledon," said MPP Sylvia Jones. Jim Galloway, president of Abbeyfield of Caledon led the event, and gave much of the credit to former Caledon mayor, Emil Kolb.

"We'd been at this project a long time," said Galloway. "We got bogged down after a while, and couldn't see it going anywhere, and that was when we visited with Emil Kolb." Galloway said that Kolb's comment was, "we're going to make this happen," and that without Kolb's enthusiasm and patience, the group may have lost direction.

Kolb was gracious, but quipped that patience was something needed in municipal politics, and that anything he could do for his former ward, was welcome work.

Area Councillor Gord McClure was Caledon's acting mayor at the event, and couldn't help but throw two of his colleagues into the fire.

"Well, we've got 12 rooms and a wait list of about 40, so I think I know two Councillors who'd better get their names on the list."

Regional Councillor Richard Paterak acted as a guide for the Abbeyfield board, working as a consultant on political matters.

"I'm a low key man, so it's hard to tell, but I'm jumping with excitement," said Paterak. "I've always thought of myself as community worker, and that's all I did with Abbeyfield. Housing seniors in small intimate settings is much more productive than apartment buildings and large structures. This is not a new idea, even if it is new to Caledon, but we're calling it Abbeyfield homes, because we feel the obligation as Councillors (to secure more)."

As far as infrastructure funding is concerned, Tilson's office will hold a further announcement this Wednesday, of almost $3.4 million in recreation infrastructure funding.

The funding will go toward a youth centre expansion at the Caledon Centre for Recreation and Wellness, facility upgrades at the Mayfield Recreation Complex, building and amenities reconstruction at the Caledon East Ballpark, expansion of the Bolton Skate Park, washroom building and pavilion reconstruction at the Alton Ballpark, and resurfacing of the Caledon Trailway.

"I think the residents of Caledon should be very pleased with the amount of money coming in (to the community)," said Tilson. "It's a lot of money and on the whole, I think Caledon is doing very well."

Tilson did remark that there are further injections expected, and that he will be meeting with Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities John Baird on July 28.

"We still have work to do," said Tilson. "But I do think Caledon has done very well so far."