Local Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson recently attended the grand re-opening of Community Living Walkerton’s hub space and to hear more about the impact that an $80,200 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2021 has had with the work.
Sylvia Sheard, an OTF volunteer was there also to bring her congratulations. The grant was used to renovate the organization’s space known as ‘The Hub’ by transforming the large room, which had sat empty since the closure of the Sheltered Workshop in 2016, into a beautiful multi-use community space.
“The reopening and expansion of the Community Living Walkerton’s hub and this investment is great news for the Walkerton community,” said Thompson. “Our government is committed to enhancing the quality of life for Ontarians, and this investment and these upgrades will enable Community Living Walkerton to provide more opportunities to those who need them most.”
In addition, a computer training space was created to provide technological training. By upgrading the furniture and equipping the space with new technology, Community Living can easily transition the room from one activity to the next. Through Community Participation and the activities at ‘The Hub’, it will be able to support people who have development disabilities to participate in recreation and leisure opportunities in both a day-program setting, and in community, encouraging full participation and inclusion. And thanks to the $80,200 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, it is now able to expand the space to offer even more opportunities.
“The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant cannot be underestimated,” said Michele Bell, Chief Executive Officer of Community Living Walkerton and District. “This grant has allowed needed renovations to be made to old, antiquated spaces, providing the opportunity to expand our programming to people with disabilities in our community. We are so very grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their support to make this happen.”
Community Living Walkerton and District is committed to nurturing inclusion and supporting children, youth and adults with intellectual disabilities, and their families, to participate as valued and contributing citizens. If you wish to learn more about Community Living Walkerton and District, please visit the website at: www.clwalkerton.org
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Since 2020, OTF has supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
