Things are looking rosy for Project Zoo, a 42-unit co-op housing project for young parents. Barring bureaucratic snags, it may be the first of seven social housing projects at Benny Farm to open its doors next year.
"It’s moving ahead really fast, it’s really super-exciting," says Project Zoo vice-president Angela Campeau. "We’ve been working on this since September 2000," Campeau says. "We’re going to have a big party, a big celebration."
The project came about when members of Head & Hands Young Parents’ Program – a group of parents under 24 years old – were having trouble finding decent and affordable housing and decided to do something about it. Project Zoo membership has been expanded to include young parents under 34 years old and their children.
"We’re giving young parents an opportunity to save money," says Campeau. Of the 42 units in a renovated existing building and another new two-storey building, 50 per cent are earmarked as three-bedroom, 25 per cent as two-bedroom, and 25 per cent as four-bedroom.
Campeau says Canada Lands has designated a building for Project Zoo, and the project has hired an architect as well as set up a selection committee to choose applicants. The main roadblock? "It’s just a matter of waiting for the funding," she says.
Funding must be approved by the city department that handles social housing projects, and the process can be complicated. Final approval can’t happen until plans for Benny Farm go through municipal public hearings this fall. At press time the city still hadn’t chosen a date for the hearings. And the city’s promises that social housing at Benny Farm will be ready for next July may be unrealistic, says Martin Bazinet, a community organizer with the NDG Community Council.
"The mayor himself said there will be 80 units ready for July 1 but it might not be feasible because of the timeline," says Bazinet, noting that the city dragged its feet on Benny Farm earlier this year.
Stephanie O’Hanley
Parents under 34 interested in becoming members of Project Zoo can call 481-0277 for an application.
2 comments
Project Zoo, the 42-unit co-op housing project for young parents, still seems to be moving forward without much interference from the City Hall.
Well, at least no overt interference anyways. Besides, it’s not as if the city hasn’t had other problems taking up its time and resources since then.
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“The mayor himself said there will be 80 units ready for July 1 but it might not be feasible because of the timeline”–Martin Bazinet, a community organizer with the NDG Community Council.
This was in October of 2003, by the way.
By everyone’s estimate, it’s currently slightly behind schedule but that’s more a result of this city’s construction’s inability to meet a deadline. I’m no parent but I don’t have to be to appreciate this situation. Even single people are having one bitch of a time trying to make ends meet. Imagine being married with a brood? Ouch.
Ok, so funding hasn’t exactly been flowing. So if you’re a young family and you can’t quite find a corner to call your own, well, you know who to blame, don’t you?
I disagree in the project for the simple fact that it’s not just the young parents that are having trouble finding a decent apartment at a low cost.
I believe that these housing units should be available to people 30 and under making a salary of 15000 or less a year, and the people who apply for the apartment should be looked into. Some people are just looking to pay a cheap rent but really can live comfortably in a regular apartment and have enough money to own two or three cars.
Personally I think that “Pops” from “Dans La Rue” should have first choice of the units before this project has any say.
Others who are living in shelters for battered women, and the ones that have no place to live after the july 1st move day should also have first choice.
I am a young parent, but I believe that I can make it on my own because I know that there are others who need these buildings more than I do.