The County of Simcoe will officially begin site preparation on a new affordable housing building in the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, with construction anticipated to begin this summer.
Located within Bradford West Gwillimbury at the corner of Simcoe Road and Marshview Boulevard, this 50-unit mixed-use building will include residences for eligible families and seniors, a County of Simcoe Social and Community Services office, and ground-level community space. In addition to creating an attractive streetscape in the area, the building will be accessible to adjacent pedestrian walkways and local transit and is within walking distance of the GO Transit station.
The four-storey building has been designed to complement the existing urban neighbourhood, with cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency in mind. Exterior building features include a high-quality and durable panel system at the residential levels, with masonry features throughout to provide texture and visual interest.
In accordance with the Town’s plan for the redevelopment of the Community Centre property, the construction of this housing build will cause some change to the current landscape at the building site. Effective upon construction, the tennis courts will be removed, and the west end of Cericola Field will also be impacted. The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury has been actively working with local sports leagues to ensure they are aware of these impacts and supporting them with accommodations to mitigate disruptions during the outdoor sports season. Other tennis facilities are available at Lions Park and Henderson Memorial Park, as well as the installation of new courts at Taylor Park (in the coming months) to replace the lost facility.
“Building affordable housing is a priority for County Council and when Bradford West Gwillimbury approached us to offer some land in an ideal location, we were thrilled. Not only do we want to build affordable rentals in the communities that need them, we want to ensure that the rentals we build have access to the things people need close by such as commercial amenities, schools, parks, and transit. This location gives access to all of these amenities, and as an added bonus, it is within walking distance to the town’s future civic plaza," said George Cornell, Warden, County of Simcoe.
This affordable housing building is expected to welcome new tenants upon its completion (late 2023 to early 2024). As part of the County of Simcoe’s Our Community 10-Year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy, this new building will contribute toward the County’s target of creating at least 2,685 new units between 2014-2024.
“We are very happy to welcome this affordable housing project to the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury," said Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Rob Keffer. "The Town has experienced significant growth over the last few decades and will continue on that path for years to come. With that growth comes increased demand for social services including affordable housing. With limited and expensive local rental inventory, this building provides residents looking for affordable accommodation, a place they can be proud to call home."
About Our Community 10-Year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy
Our Community 10-Year Affordable Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy sets out real targets and goals to create more affordable housing within communities across Simcoe County. By December 31, 2021, the County was able to report that 2,531 new units had been created since 2014, 94 per cent of the way to its overall target of creating at least 2,685 new affordable housing units across the region. The County’s strategy continues to focus on supporting residents through maximizing funding, achieving targets, and working with area partners to create affordable housing units for residents across the County. Targets were established in 2014, and the county continues to adapt to meet growing needs, including initial collaboration to establish our next long-term strategy. More information can be found at simcoe.ca/ourahhps.
About the County of Simcoe
The County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.
Editor's Note: Upon completion of construction, two new tennis courts will be added to the property.
