"Welcome home," Steven Kennedy says at the unveiling of his new home Thursday.
He and Josh Robertson will be living together at a new home on Park Street in Barrie, which was built by Camphill Communities Ontario through 'Project Generosity.'
"We had two gentlemen that wanted to live together," said Camphill's executive director Larry Palmer at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "They wanted a nice small home, and they wanted to be involved in where it was and how it was designed, and they were involved in every step of the way."
But, the property has been within the Camphill family long before its new 'person-centred' housing was built upon it.
The house was originally owned and inhabited by Terry Kirk, a former member of Camphill's board of directors, and later its investment officer.
In 1995, Kirk's wife, Else, suddenly passed away due to a stroke, and he decided to Barrie to be closer to friends and community connections. That led to his passionate involvement with the organization.
"He was a member of almost everything we did," Palmer said to Barrie360. "He befriended people we support, took them out for lunch. They could always pop in and say hello to him."
Kirk lived in the house until he died in March of 2022. However, his impact and commitment to Camphill carried on from life into death
"He was very clear with us in advance," Palmer explained. "'I'm leaving everything to you guys.' And he said to us, 'I would love if you used my home.'
The estate in central Barrie was said to be too old. Its foundation could not support the extensive renovations needed to bring it up to proper code and accessibility standards. Therefore, it was demolished and rebuilt on the same property.
"[Terry would] be very proud today, looking down on us," Palmer said. "The donation of his property and his financial resources, the Camp Hill Foundation got the ball rolling."
Kennedy and Robertson will benefit from the life-changing donation, and both will still be supported by Camphill. Palmer says the two are fairly self-reliant, but still need support during some hours of the day due to their mild developmental disabilities.
Friday's unveiling also felt personal for Barrie mayor Alex Nuttall, who referred to his father's work, often crossing paths with those in shoes similar to Kennedy and Robertson.
"He had the honour, and still does, to work with individuals who were facing disabilities," Nuttal said. "To get to know so many people who had to overcome so much more than I do, to be able to do small things sometimes in life, but huge things like getting a home; I think it's a testament to how incredible these two young guys are"
According to the City of Barrie, Camphill received a Per Door grant under the Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) of $60,000 for the project. Application were also waived in the process.
"Sometimes we look at major projects with 500 units here and 300 units there," Coun. Craig Nixon said to Barrie360. "These units that just support two people, they add up and they're just as important as the big ones."
"The two gentlemen a year ago did not have this opportunity for affordable housing," Palmer says. "I thought of the first home that I ever bought. It reminded me how thrilling and exciting that was, but how important that was to my life. And this will be no different."
Camphill needed to spend just $370,000 from its own budget on the project. Another $180,000 worth of materials and labour was donated by community partners in Barrie, which helped with the build and upgrading of the home. Palmer detailed one day in which workers installed the siding and the roof within six hours.
"There were 15 or 20 guys," he describes. "It was like ants on a net and they were covering the house, all working in unison."
Camphill says that larger group homes will be replaced with smaller supportive housing over the next several years, ensuring no more than two or three people live in each location. However, outside support is always essential to making it happen.
"This kind of dream needs a dream team behind it," Palmer says. "That capital is hard to come by."
