Community Bulletin

Exciting News and a Heartfelt Thank You to the Community Housing Transformation Centre and the Taggart Parkes Foundation!

We are thrilled to announce that Linden Housing Co-operative has recently received two significant grants.

The Community Housing Transformation Centre (“Centre”) has awarded Linden $40,000! This grant is a game-changer for us, focusing on enhancing our organizational capacity, which is crucial as we continue to develop and refine our co-operative housing model.
The Centre is a sector-led organization, supported by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation through Canada’s National Housing Strategy. The Centre is dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home – working toward a more sustainable and economically viable model of community housing. Their support reflects a shared commitment to building vibrant, inclusive communities across Canada.

This generous grant will enable us to engage with our community to understand the range of services and amenities desired in our future co-operative. This engagement will assist us in creating a co-op that fosters a thriving community life. Additionally, the grant will support us in hiring a consultant who will help us develop crucial governance documents. These will include recommendations on establishing and maintaining reserve funds, setting housing charges, crafting membership policies, and developing effective conflict resolution strategies. Our goal is to create robust frameworks that not only serve Linden but can also act as precedents for other emerging co-operatives, which will in turn simplify their own journeys.

We also received a $25,000 Award from the Taggart Parkes Foundation, in honour of John Gibb-Carsley. We are so grateful to the Foundation for its support, and so touched by its dedication. John, who recently passed away, is Victoria Gibb-Carsley’s father. Victoria is the Executive Director of the Perth and District Community Foundation. Victoria, on behalf of the Foundation, wrote a very strong letter in support of our Proposal to the Foundation.

We will continue to keep you updated on our progress and how these developments are bringing us closer to making Linden Housing Co-operative a reality. Your ongoing support and enthusiasm mean the world to us.

Our next milestone will be to obtain a zoning amendment for the land we have identified at 79 Wilson Street West (across from the pool). Our hearing in front of Perth Council will occur on Tuesday, August 6 at 5 pm. Hopefully many of you can attend in person to show your support.

Thank you once again to the Community Housing Transformation Centre, the Taggart Parkes Foundation, and to each of you who contribute, share, and cheer us on. We’re building something great together!

CMHC’s co-op funding initiative has been released.  The deadline to apply with a near shovel-ready project is September 15.  Funding through loans and forgivable loans would cover 100% of our costs.  We are working hard to meet this deadline, and are so fortunate to have been awarded the following grants to assist us with this pre-development work:

• CMCH Seed funding – $80,000
• Co-operators Insurance –  $15,000 grant for our feasibility and pre-development work

We also have an outstanding grant application with the Canadian Federation of Municipalities ($30,000) and with the Community Housing Transformation Centre ($40,000).

We are planning to build a three story, 42 unit housing co-operative at 79 Wilson Street West across from the pool.  It will have a diverse mixture of units, including one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom units.  It will also have a diverse mixture of members, from students to seniors.  Our application for a zoning change from R2 to R4 will be heard by the Town on August 6.

In the realm of creativity where art meets activism, the “Is This A Protest?” art exhibit stands out as a beacon of expressive freedom and social commentary.  Featuring 15 artists from Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta, this showcase delves into the layers of protest through an eclectic mix of mediums—from assemblage and textile art to spoken word—offering a rich tapestry of perspectives on anti-racism, feminism, anti-violence, and more.

While the event itself is a vibrant platform for artists to challenge perceptions and engage in storytelling, we’re touched by an extraordinary gesture of support towards Linden Housing Co-op. Two remarkable artists, Bel Angeles and Carol Richardson, have committed to donating 100% of artist proceeds from some of their pieces directly to Linden Housing Co-op in support of our mission.  Bel is donating the proceeds from her piece of work entitled “Rest in Truth”, and Carol two pieces entitled “Peacenik” and “Tree Time”.  These acts of generousity underscore the profound connection between community development and artistic expression, emphasizing how creativity can be a force for change.

We’re sharing this news not just as a call to action, but as an expression of our heartfelt gratitude to the artists and to you, our supporters.   If you would like to attend, the Exhibit will take place at the beautiful Artisan Village, 10 Maple Avenue, Smiths Falls, from April 13 to May 18.  The opening on April 13 will be from 5 to 8 pm.  Hope to see some of you at Saturday’s opening.

Thank you for being part of our journey.