Tenants tell the story of life at Edmond Place

And now that nearly all the tenants of Edmond Place in Parkdale have settled into their new home, reflections penned by their own hand in a living journal - to be added to year after year - tell the story best:

"Since I moved in here I feel I have regained my health."

"Physically and spiritually it is good for me."

"I can lay down my head and feel like I am home."

Edmond Place, at 194 Dowling Ave, is a unique model of supportive housing, one where people who live with mental health and addiction issues live safely and with the supports in place for when they need them.

Run by Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre (PARC) and Habitat Services, there are 29 self-contained units.

Donna Atkinson was the very first person to move into Edmond Place, on Jan. 5.

Donna

Atkinson has lived in some bad situations. She has been homeless, lived in boarding homes over-run with drugs and bed bugs. She has suffered through housing where fellow tenants had little respect for property or other people. She has lived beside neighbours who were domestically violent and once saw, through the peephole in her door, someone stabbed.

But now, sitting in her stylish bachelor apartment adorned with custom-made furniture, crisp linens, handmade designer pillows and reams of family photos and artwork, Atkinson said she finally feels at home.

"We got everything here. Our shower curtains, towels, toothbrush, everything is provided," she said. "And we are still getting stuff. Today we are getting a bookshelf and a little round table."

Atkinson, who has lived with manic depression nearly all her life, was born in Newmarket and lived in Parkdale since 1989 after falling in love with the community, she said. At PARC she found a community she didn't know existed, one that made her feel at home as Edmond Place now does as well.

"I knew I was sick, but not that sick," Atkinson said. "And just to see a community of people where some are sick too, it was just really nice. When you go to PARC some are worse than others, but it's your community, I felt welcomed."

But her parents died in 2006, which caused Atkinson to have a breakdown, she said.

"I was clean from crack for 13 years and after it happened, my dad had left me a little money and I went to crack because I didn't want to live anymore," she said. "I lost my place cause of it when I was living over on Lansdowne (Avenue) and I went to shelters."

She spent months in shelters and then in non-profit housing across the city before her application to live at Edmond Place was granted.

"I am so happy to be back (in Parkdale) because not only has it changed, but the streets are even cleaned up with the prostitution and stuff," she said. "I want to stay here until I no longer breath. I really like it here."

Atkinson has four adult children including a son who she gave up for adoption 30 years ago with whom she recently reconnected.

"He came here," she said. "So that was a big stress off me because when they came here they said, 'oh it's nice' so that made me feel good."

William

At Edmond Place tenants have meals prepared for them or they can prepare their own with a provided food hamper. There are activities like movie night and art classes. There is a laundry and a cleaning service for all the tenants.

It's a quiet and respectful environment, much more like an apartment building than what one would imagine a social housing project to look like.

That has made a world of difference to tenant William LeBlanc, who said he sometimes likes to spend time alone, which he rarely could do in his previous living situations.

LeBlanc, who also lives in a bachelor apartment with his kitten Precious, came to Edmond Place from a boarding home where he shared a bedroom and there were common bathrooms and kitchens. His is a smaller unit, but more than sufficient as far as he is concerned. LeBlanc likes to work away on his computer and play his video games. There is a full kitchen with brand new appliances and his very own bathroom, a cozy chair and a single bed. He had hung crimson curtains over the large window.

"When you have your own place it's your own," he said. "No boarding house can beat having your own place."

He wasn't a member of PARC, but was referred to apply to live in the building through his Habitat Services caseworker.

"These types of housing are important. If you had seen the places I have actually lived in and what ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) actually gives you for rent, you would never be able to afford it. Even this room at market rent would be $700 easily."

Support

There is an adjustment period that comes with change and with bringing so many people together under one roof. The tenants said there has been some getting used to the different personalities and getting accustomed to the health-conscious meal plan. They are still waiting for their personal computers and the intercom doesn't work yet.

Bob Rose is the PARC employee who is leading the move-in process at Edmond Place. He said they have been moving someone in nearly every day for a month and it has been a bit of a whirlwind.

But, this project has been a labour of love for many people involved, Rose included, and the joy of seeing people settle into safe and beyond-adequate housing supersedes any bugs that need to be worked out.

"It's a beginning for these people and beginnings are joyous things," Rose said. "But change is hard and challenging and can be scary for some people, but everyone is genially appreciative and there is this kind of common harmony. I think everyone realizes that they are in a really good situation and a lot of good things are possible."

The housing support staff, who are people with lived experience themselves, are fantastic and have made a tremendous difference, Rose said.

"Edmond Place is being supported by many people; food services to the member chefs making the meal and the on-site housing support staff who are people with lived experience who are engaging the community and providing friendship, comfort, guidance at an important point of change is so wonderful to see," he said.

Edmond Place is named for Edmond Yu, who at one time lived in this very building when it was one of the largest rooming houses in Parkdale. Yu lived with paranoid schizophrenia and his tragic death after being shot by police sparked the momentum 14 years ago that resulted in Edmond Place.

"The serendipitous events that took place following his death all the way to the building catching fire, to years later it was expropriated and us getting it, to us now filling it with life rather than death, it is beautiful," Rose said. "People are full of hope and promise."