The public consultation results are in, and Orillia is getting more affordable housing.
County councillors received an update on Tuesday about the regional community hub project at the former Orillia District Collegiate & Vocational Institute (OCDVI) site.
As a result of the consultations, the county has decided to construct a two-phased facility that will bring about 100 new affordable housing units to the city, built alongside much-needed community services.
“Quite frankly, the people I’ve spoken with about it are quite excited,” said Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke. “There is a significant need... and there aren’t many solutions on the horizon. I commend the county .. for the process they’ve undertaken. How they’ve engaged the public and kept them informed,” he added.
Phase 1, which is estimated to be built by 2022/23, will include approximately 100 affordable mixed units for seniors, families and individuals, an Ontario Works and Children and Community Services office, an Ontario Works programming room, offices for community agencies to rent, an EarlyON site, a licensed child-care site, communal room and common kitchen and a meeting space. Other large anchor tenants in the health or children’s services sector will also be considered.
Phase 2 would include county corporate services, other business services, health services and space for a seniors day program. Timing for Phase 2 will be determined at a later date.
According to the staff report, 678 residents participated in a series of engagement activities hosted by the county and used to determine the best use of the space, including an online survey, stakeholder interviews and public workshops.
“The compelling vision that has emerged from the consultation process is one of a vibrant, diverse and inclusive regional community hub which provides affordable housing options for seniors and other mixed income households, helps to alleviate the barriers to accessing essential community and social services for residents, and creates a sense of inclusion,” reads the staff report.
The next step in the project will be a Request for Proposal (RFP) for architectural design firms. In early 2020, the contract will be awarded for a feasibility study, site plan and conceptual design seeking input from staff and stakeholders, including the City of Orillia.
The county has put aside $1 million in their 2020 budget for the design and feasibility study.
While the county won’t have any official costing numbers for the entire project until after the feasibility study is complete, Arfona Zwiers, director of social housing with the county, said other affordable housing projects undertaken by the county can point to overall ballpark figures to expect.
The Collingwood affordable housing hub of 147 units on Second Street (with commercial space and services on site) came in at a cost of just under $40 million. The Wasaga Beach affordable housing hub of 99 units (no commercial space) is coming in at a cost of about $30 million, she said.
Zwiers said it’s likely the Orillia build will cost somewhere in between those two figures, when taking the cost of inflation into consideration.
“I can only offer those as a very general example, that we’ll be looking at a range of $35 to $40 million for the Phase 1 component,” she said.
The County of Simcoe purchased the ODCVI property in August of 2018. Both ODCVI and Park Street Collegiate Institute were shuttered by the Simcoe County District School Board when it decided to amalgamate the schools at the new Orillia Secondary School.
Last summer, the county bull-dozed the aged former school on the West Street North property to make way for the regional services hub.
