Transformation of former school grounds into affordable housing a step closer to reality

London city hall is one step closer to getting shovels in the ground as they look to transform the site of a former elementary school into more than 220 affordable rental units.

The seven-acre parcel of land at 1958 Duluth Cres., east of Clarke Road, was previously home to the St. Robert Catholic Elementary School, which the city purchased in 2020 and later demolished.

The city wants to turn the land into a mix of affordable single-family homes, townhouses, and multi-storey apartment buildings as it looks to meet an affordable housing target of 3,000 units by 2026.

On Tuesday, members of a council committee voted in favour of a recommendation to award a $651,572 sole-sourced contract to Tillman Ruth Robinson Inc. to design and deliver one of the planned buildings — a four-storey apartment block containing 44 fully-furnished units, other amenities and supports.

The recommendation needs to be approved by council next week, but Tuesday's vote helps get the ball rolling on the larger project, which is several years away from being fully realized. 

"It's a good use of the space... and we're looking for any space that we can to build more housing, and more supportive or affordable housing," said Ward 13 Coun. David Ferreira, who chairs the community and protective services committee. 

Construction on the initial 44-unit building could begin as early as the first quarter of 2025. 

The design would replicate 403 Thompson Rd., a building with which Tillman Ruth Robinson was also involved. The four-storey building opened last year near King Edward Avenue, providing 44 deeply-affordable, highly supportive housing units which are operated by the charity Indwell.

It's not clear yet if the new building will mirror the Thompson Road property when it comes to the housing it provides. "We would have to wait just for staff, for their determination, on exactly what kind of housing it would be," Ferreira said.

At 403 Thompson Rd., residents are provided addictions, nursing, and psychosocial supports, in addition to deeply affordable rent. 

The positive impact the supportive units have had is clear when speaking with tenants, including James Albert Dean, who has lived at the building with his dog for six months after a fire displaced him from his home of eight years.

"I was lucky to get in this place. Things are going a lot better now. I'm healthier. They feed me well. And the staff is really good here. I'm happy and haven't been so healthy in years," he told CBC News on Tuesday.

"I was a train wreck. I was into the street stuff. Here, now, I stay home a lot. We have things... that we do, all kinds of games and all that. We get along here at this place, and I meet a lot of good people."

Indwell's Kailey Goddard, program supervisor at the building, says she's heard similar sentiments from other residents.