Ontario Construction News staff writer
The county’s first residential recovery centre for women — and Ontario’s first non-profit treatment centre for women — is expected to open this summer in Barrie.
An official ground-breaking ceremony was held in February at the 236 Dunlop St. W. site.
Construction is expected to begin this month and will add 3,745-square-foot to an existing downtown building. It will include a rooftop meditation garden with seating and activity space atop the two-storey building.
“Today we get to begin to build a lighthouse, to guide people out of a sea of misery back to a better life,” said Blaine Hobson, co-founder and CEO of Cornerstone.
“With all the help of our donors, volunteers and community partners we’ll soon be able to provide safe and accessible treatment for women in a centre that will be the first of its kind in Ontario, charitably funded.”
The residence will support up to 12 women at a time with individual private bedrooms and washrooms.
Councillor Harris and Marc Cohen worked with Cornerstone to Recovery for two years prior to approval and last year the city approved a $400,000 interest-free loan to renovate a building.
Cornerstone has plans to build a men’s residence and a community centre in the city when funding is available.
