The Modular Bridge Housing Community, a community of 50 one-room housing units for people experiencing homelessness, is scheduled to open in the coming weeks. On Friday, there was an open house event to see the site, located on Wolfe Street, and have City of Peterborough staff answer questions about the project.
Inside the Modular Bridge Housing Community at the open house event on Nov. 17. Photo by Eddy Sweeney.
Trent Radio spoke with Jocelyn Blazey, Homelessness and Data Program Manager for Social Services, and Jessica Penner, Modular Bridge Housing Community program manager, inside one of these modular housing units.
“The inside of a cabin is about 12’x7’, and each cabin is provided with a double bed, a mini fridge, recycling box, a laundry hamper, towels, a quilt that has been donating, and some furniture they get to choose,” says Penner.
An example of what the inside of one of the modular housing units could look like. Photo by Eddy Sweeney.
The Modular Bridge Housing Community is located in an old parking lot, and has a fenced perimeter. Beyond the entrance gate, you will see multiple rows of colourful housing units, a building for security, and a building with washrooms. There are 5 single-stall washrooms, each equipped with a shower.
A look into one of the bathrooms. Photo by Eddy Sweeney.
Blazey said that, once the site is open, the Elizabeth Fry Society is going to be the “site operator.”
“They are going to have two staff on at all times. In addition to that, we will have two security guards on at all times. Elizabeth Fry is an organization who meets people where they are at.”
Blazey said that the Elizabeth Fry Society will be on-site building care plans with each individual resident.
This Housing Community is located directly across the street from an existing tent encampment on Wolfe Street, where Blazey estimates 55 people experiencing homelessness are currently living. Of those 55 people, 40 of them will be moving into the modular housing units. The remaining 15 will be receiving supports from outreach staff, from the City and other community organizations, to help them relocated to indoor overnight shelter, like the Trinity Community Center.
Blazey said that they are uncertain when the site will be ready for residents, but they are planning for within coming weeks, and definitely “before winter.”
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