Four log cabins set to transform lives at Lennon House in Rustico, P.E.I.
RUSTICO, P.E.I. – Lennon Restoration Home, a short lived dwelling for folks coping with dependancy and psychological well being points, will provide transitional housing by the tip of this 12 months.
There are 4 log cabins subsequent to Lennon Home, supposed to supply transitional housing for individuals who have accomplished applications on the restoration home.
These cabins had been bought final 12 months by way of a donation from a neighborhood enterprise, with the land donated by a farmer again in 2021.
Government director Sandra MacNevin mentioned the thought for the mission stemmed from seeing the residents going through the housing disaster in Prince Edward Island after they accomplished their applications at Lennon Restoration Home.
“Folks have had difficulties, upon profitable completion right here, securing acceptable housing. So, it was a imaginative and prescient to create transitional housing,” MacNevin advised SaltWire in an interview Oct. 17.
Sitting empty
The 4 properties, nonetheless, have been vacant the previous 12 months.
MacNevin mentioned securing funding for the mission took loads of time, and even after getting the cash, work can be wanted to arrange the cabins for winter, together with plumbing, air flow and insulation, as they’re at the moment summer time properties.
“It’s simply many layers,” she mentioned. “It is time-consuming. And I believe it is a hurry-up-and-wait recreation.”
The charity secured its ultimate piece of funding final week, and contractors will quickly begin work on the 4 properties, mentioned the chief director.
“If all the celebrities align, we’re hoping that we will get this earlier than the frost arrives,” she mentioned, including the tentative opening date for the 4 properties is Dec. 1.
Relieving stress
Ellen Taylor, who’s a neighborhood psychological well being advocate and has beforehand facilitated a number of applications at Lennon Home, mentioned she’s glad to see the addition of transitional housing on the restoration dwelling.
“The transitional housing, I believe it may be such factor for folks as a result of folks know that they are not going to need to be pushed out.” – Ellen Taylor
It is important for individuals who have accomplished sober residing applications and want help to reintegrate into their day by day lives, she mentioned. Transitional housing can alleviate the stress of discovering a spot to reside whereas sustaining a sober way of life.
“The transitional housing half takes among the stress off these sorts of issues that you should depend upon if you’re attempting to remain nicely and keep sober,” Taylor mentioned.
Taylor mentioned she’s seen lots of people wrestle to search out housing after their time in sober residing properties, primarily as a result of housing shortages in P.E.I.
“I do not know too many individuals who will have the ability to actually keep sober and keep nicely with out a roof over their head. It’s not taking place for most individuals,” she mentioned.
“The transitional housing, I believe it may be such factor for folks as a result of folks know that they are not going to have the ability to keep there ceaselessly and there is going to be a sure period of time, however they are not going to need to be pushed out.”
The subsequent stage
MacNevin mentioned as soon as the 4 properties are operational, every unit will accommodate one individual and can come totally furnished.
There’s loads of curiosity amongst Lennon Home residents in making use of for transitional housing, MacNevin mentioned. Candidates should be self-reliant, have their very own transportation and be employed.
“So, they’d have the ability to come and go to their place of employment. And so, what they will be doing to is taking among the abilities that they’ve realized right here into that unbiased residing,” she mentioned.
Residents in transitional housing pays an reasonably priced program price and should decide to sober residing. Smoking and consuming won’t be allowed in these items, and residents might be held accountable as they modify to unbiased residing, MacNevin mentioned.
“It affords a way of safety into the following stage of their restoration.”
Thinh Nguyen is a enterprise reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and adopted on X @thinhnguyen4291.
