Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa (Habitat GO) celebrated the start of Leacross Landing, its largest project to date, with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, May 30.
Phase 1, which involves the construction of the first four townhomes of the 16-unit development and a budget of $1.1 million, will begin at 6208 Jeanne d’Arc Blvd. in June.
“This year we are celebrating our 24th year of bringing communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership in the Ottawa area,” says Alexis Ashworth, Habitat GO’s CEO. “This new development in Orleans will allow us to expand our reach and build homes for 16 families in need of affordable homeownership.”
The homes in Phase 1 will be purchased by four families later this year when construction is completed. Three of the future homeowners attended the ceremony.
These families are being offered “a hand up, not a hand out” as part of Habitat’s homeownership program. They will help build their homes alongside Habitat volunteers and then purchase the homes with a no-interest, long-term mortgage that is geared to their income.
Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa Kicks Off Largest Project to Date with Groundbreaking Ceremony in Orléans is incredibly grateful to Habitat GO and all of the sponsors, donors and volunteers who are helping to make her dream of affordable homeownership come true.
Tereza Fitzsimmons is incredibly grateful to Habitat GO and all of the sponsors, donors and volunteers who are helping to make her dream of affordable homeownership come true.
“Being a single mother is not easy, but finally all of my hard work has paid off,” says Tereza, who attended the ceremony with her three children. “Now we will have a home to create memories in and a place my children can look back in 20 years and say, ‘That’s the home we grew up in.’”
The ceremony featured a number of special guests, including Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Orleans Coun. Bob Monette, Roslyn Bern, the president of the Leacross Foundation, which is the Development Sponsor, Habitat GO’s board chair, Bob Ridley, its CEO, Alexis Ashworth, and other corporate sponsors, donors and volunteers.
Habitat GO said that this build in Orléans will feature Military Build, Youth Build and Pride Build programs, as well as a celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary with the 34th Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Work Project.
President Carter and Mrs. Carter will be focusing their efforts in Edmonton, Alberta and Winnipeg, Manitoba this July, but the Carter Work Project will be a country-wide Habitat for Humanity movement. Communities in every province and territory in Canada will build more than 150 Habitat homes, including the four builds in Orléans this year.
If you would like more information about the project or to get involved as a volunteer, sponsor, donor, supplier or tradesperson, please go to www.habitatgo.com or call 613-749-9950.
