In This Newsletter:
- We Need your Support to Keep our Programming Going!
- The Story of St. Clare Place, Owen Sound
- Georgian Bay Aspiring Geopark
Dear Reader,
Thank you for being a part of The Institute’s work of building a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future.
We need your program support in 2024 to continue to help solve our region’s most pressing challenges. We innovate and accelerate community-led solutions by bringing together residents, businesses, municipalities, non-profits, and philanthropic leaders.
As outlined in the 2023 Annual Report, with the help of generous supporters, we have:
- Formed a dedicated team of volunteers and multi-sector stakeholders and co-created the TISGB Affordable Housing Toolkit, moving towards solutions so that people who work here can live here.
- Convened leaders to innovate and advance ideas for building a thriving and climate-friendly economy, and
- Showcased solutions from across Canada to demonstrate what’s possible in our region in closing the housing affordability gap
- Connected our creative sectors through network-building to help all artists, innovators and entrepreneurs flourish.
Our vision for the region is clear: a thriving, inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. To achieve this, we have developed a comprehensive strategy focused on three key areas: housing affordability, economic resilience, and environmental sustainability.
Your program support plays a critical role in turning this vision into reality. Your generous contribution enables us to:
- Host a fall event to finalize a community action plan for affordable housing with follow up workshops to implement such a plan. This plan will be based on our work so far, as outlined in the 2024 Housing Affordability Report Back.
- Work with a multi-sector partnership to launch the Green Economy Hub Pilot Project, which aims to support local businesses in adopting sustainable practices and creating green jobs. The Institute is committing $15,000 from our flow-through fund to support this Pilot Project.
- Strategize how to strengthen a regional vision utilizing multi-sector projects and exploring expanding the role of philanthropy.
With your program support, we can build a collective force for positive change and propel Southern Georgian Bay toward a brighter and more collaborative future. Your contribution will help us continue to expand our programs, deepen our impact, and create lasting change in our community.
Thank you for being a vital part of our journey. Together, we can make a difference.
With Gratitude,
The Institue of Southern Georgian Bay, Board of Directors
The Story of St. Clare Place, Owen Sound
By Syvlia Statham, Lutheran Social Services (Owen Sound)
Drive into downtown Owen Sound and one of the first things you might notice is an eight storey apartment building; St Francis’ Place. Built in 1988 by Lutheran Social Services, with the assistance of the Federal and Provincial Governments, it has provided housing and community to seniors for 35 years.
We have a plan to do it again. For the last two and a half years, Lutheran Social Services Development Committee has been working toward building another six storey apartment to serve seniors with varying incomes and accessibility needs, with units at both market value and affordable. To be located at 3rd Ave E, north of St Francis’ Place, it will be named St Clare Place. St Clare was a contemporary of St Francis who, like him, abandoned a comfortable life to minister to the poor and live dedicated to love for all of creation.
As I am sure you can understand, it takes a significant investment to build such a place; $17 million to be exact. The City has supported this project with some tax breaks and Grey County, recognizing the desperate need, has pitched in financially. We have started by preparing the site and doing the soil remediation required, and after exhaustive efforts we negotiated a loan with CMHC, but remain $600,000 short.
This undertaking, as is St Francis’ Place, will be a not-for-profit enterprise. Any senior, regardless of creed, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, will be eligible and welcomed into a caring and inclusive community.
Over the last 25 years, Lutheran Outreach Ministries has donated $696,000 to various, mostly local, charities. Maybe your organization benefitted in some way. Now we need your help. We are a Registered Charity and any donation, large or small, can be made through Canada Helps at www.canadahelps.org.
Please help us to make this dream for the community a reality.
Carol Merton, Owen Sound City Councillor and affordable housing advocate, sat down with Sylvia Statham, manager at Lutheran Social Services in Owen Sound to check in the progress of St. Clare Place.
Pictured with Sylvia is Owen the Beaver, breaking ground on the St. Clare Place housing project. Elaine Doy is the artist behind Owen the Beaver. A portion of the proceeds from her “Owen” drawings go to Safe N Sound.
Georgian Bay Aspiring Geopark
As the Institute grows and evolves, learning opportunities are important so that we keep connected to the changing issues and opportunities in our region. Tony Pigott, Executive Director, of the Georgian Bay Aspiring Geopark, gave us an update on the fascinating work happening with this extraordinary organization.
Global Geoparks are a new kind of park for the 21st century; regions of the world recognized for exceptional and globally significant geological, natural and cultural heritage. Unlike conventional “parks”, they do not have land title or restrictions and often encompass extensive regions with established communities, landowners, businesses, existing parks and recreation areas. Their aim is to conserve and enhance the unique geological, natural and cultural heritage of a region by promoting sustainable development through education, tourism, research and local community involvement. There are 195 UNESCO Geoparks in 47 countries – places like the Shetland Islands, Oaxaca Mexico, the Province of Beaujolais, the English Riviera and the Izu Peninsula of Japan. In Canada, there are four in the Maritimes and one in BC as well as five “Aspiring” Geoparks including Whistler BC and Georgian Bay See: https://www.canadiangeoparks.ca/
Georgian Bay is an under-recognized Global Treasure whose future holds both opportunities and daunting challenges from population pressures and climate change. It is also a unique and remarkable showcase of all the essential qualities required for UNESCO designation:
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- Extraordinarily diverse and globally unique Geological formations and heritage,
- The presence of multiple Indigenous communities with deep cultural and historical links to Georgian Bay from time immemorial,
- A landscape that has been central to shaping the history, culture and origins of Canada itself.