Representatives from Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa, Habitat for Humanity Thousand Islands, eQ Homes, Grenville Mutual Insurance and the Municipality of North Grenville gather at the future building site on June 2

The Thousand Islands chapter of Habitat for Humanity will undertake a large affordable housing project, beginning this year. The project will consist of a 15-unit build, nicknamed “Kemptville Korners”, which will be constructed on land donated by the Municipality of North Grenville. The build will be on Concession Road across from the Kemptville District Hospital, putting it within walking distance of important amenities. The site will have six conventional townhomes and six stacked townhomes above three accessible barrier-free units on the ground floor. All of the homes will either be 2-bedroom accessible homes or 3 or 4-bedroom standard homes, and will include parking, and either a rear yard or a balcony.

“We are thrilled to partner with Habitat for Humanity to facilitate the establishment of 15 new townhomes in the heart of Kemptville’s downtown and at the edge of the Kemptville Campus,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford. “This development will provide pathways to affordable and well-built homes for 15 hard-working families who would otherwise not be able to purchase one in our community.”

Kemptville Korners will be the largest Habitat for Humanity project ever undertaken in North Grenville. It is being made possible through both sponsorship and fundraising. Grenville Mutual Insurance and eQ Homes have both generously sponsored the project, which will help ensure its completion within the two year period. 

“We are all excited and proud to have the opportunity to support this project,” said Stephen Wilson, Chair of the Board for Grenville Mutual Insurance. “Not only will it provide safe, stable and affordable homes for families, but it inspires Grenville to live our values of supporting the communities where we work and live.” Josh Kardish, Senior Vice President of eQ Homes, added “Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity is a great fit, since we share so many of the same values. We see helping to provide shelter to families in our community as an extension of the community-building we do every day.”

A fundraising endeavor being undertaken to help support the project is a garden shed raffle being organized by Habitat for Humanity. The raffle draw will be for a shed, electric lawn mower, garden urn with fresh plants, $150 gift certificate to Gemmell’s Garden Centre, garden cart, gardening tools, and gardening gloves. Home Depot, Home Hardware, Gemmell’s Garden Centre, Peavey Mart, and a private donor all contributed to the prize lot. Tickets for the raffle are $20 and can be purchased online at https://www.habitat1000islands.org/raffle2022/. The draw for the raffle will take place on August 2. 

During the two-year project build, more sponsors and donors will be sought to make sure that the project is a success. Perhaps more importantly, volunteers will be needed to help with the build. Habitat for Humanity homes are built in conjunction with community partners, typically requiring the intended purchaser of a home to donate volunteer hours in lieu of a down payment, and then pay off the cost of the home with an interest-free mortgage, the payments of which are geared toward income. With the start of the Kemptville Korners build, Habitat Greater Ottawa and Habitat Thousand Islands are calling on members of the North Grenville community to get involved on the build site and around the area. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups, such as build days, local fundraising events, and community events celebrating the build and the future Habitat homeowners.  

If you are interested in volunteering, visit https://habitatgo.ca/get-involved/. Applications for the Kemptville Korners development are now open. Visit https://habitatgo.ca/apply-now/ for more information on how to apply for a Habitat home, and to fill in a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire.

Construction on the Kemptville Korners project is expected to begin this year, with completion scheduled for 2024. 

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