Ontario promotes public properties for community hubs across the province
Toronto, Feb 2 (IBNS): Ontario has selected four projects that will receive funding through Surplus Property Transition Initiative (SPTI) to cover operating and maintenance costs for up to 18 months to enable community groups to develop long-term business plans to transition the properties to community hubs, media reports said.
On June 29, 2017, Ontario announced the Surplus Property Transition Initiative.
The initiative aims to support and maintain a number of publicly owned surplus properties that have the potential to be redeveloped as community hubs. Community proponents can request additional time to support planning for the creation of community hubs at surplus provincial, school board or hospital properties.
The four projects selected are:
Biindigen Community Hub, St. Helen's Elementary School in Hamilton will offer Indigenous and non-Indigenous services including culturally safe health care, health promotion, traditional healing, recreation and wellness programming, before and after school care, licensed child care, and neighbourhood planning work.
Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Centre and Odawa Native Friendship Centre, Rideau High School in Ottawa, is a joint project between two community organizations which will focus on Indigenous and non-Indigenous services including alternative secondary school, urban Indigenous healthy living, life-long care, programs for homelessness, community justice, healing and wellness, a food bank, HIV/AIDS awareness, and Inuit supports for students and youth.
Regional Skills Training, Trades & Innovation Community Hub, Sydenham Community Elementary School in Owen Sound -- a regional skills training community hub -- through a skilled trades and innovation centre will work to remove barriers to rural employment and education, energy, software, and culinary arts. This project will be connected to regional secondary schools to provide pathway opportunities for students.
Indigenous Early Years Hub, Dr. McDougall Public School in North Bay will provide services to Indigenous communities, including a child and family program and licensed day care, Indigenous cultural and linguistic programs and services for families, supported by local elders and Indigenous partners.
Since community hubs take time to go fully operational, SPTI was designed to provide "the right programs and resources...building these vibrant community hubs and for making better use of public spaces to benefit all Ontarians," said Karen Pitre, Ontario's Special Advisor on Community Hubs.
In 2017, Ontario released its second progress report on Community Hubs, A Strategic Framework and Action Plan which reportedly described the progress made since the release of the Community Hubs in Ontahirio.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
Image: commuityhubsontario/website
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