Church transforms sanctuary into low-income housing unit
WINNIPEG, MB - St. Matthews Anglican Church, located in Winnipeg's West End, has been focused on mission and outreach since its founding more than 100 years ago. Parishioners are now taking its mandate a step further by transforming the main level of their huge church into a 25-unit low income housing development.
Rector Cathy Campbell says the space, which will include a public courtyard and play area, is making use of a sanctuary that has been lightly used up until this point.
"We have a worship space that's 60 feet high and 100 feet wide - that's half a city block. It's built for 1,200 people, but at any one service we have 100 or less people," she says.
"We thought that it would be much better and would secure a more sustainable future if we shared some of the space and some of the beauty with our neighbourhood and created a smaller, more functional, beautiful space for us. It's a win-win!"
This is especially important, says Campbell, because the church is located in the childhood poverty capital of Canada with an increasing influx of immigrants moving to the city where there is a one per cent housing vacancy rate.
"There is quite an appalling level of need for housing," Campbell says.
The housing development will be made up of two four-bedroom units, three three-bedroom units, 17 two-bedroom units and three one-bedroom units.
Four of the units are federally supported for clients of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority mental health housing program. Sixteen others are income-based rentals through Manitoba Housing.
The tenants in subsidized units will not pay more than one third of their household income. The government will make up the rest.
This $4.6 million project has yet to begin construction. The church has just set up a capital campaign to raise $1.5 million. Once they raise a substantial portion of that capital, the federal and provincial governments will release the $2.27 million they are contributing through the Winnipeg Housing and Homelessness Initiative, Campbell says.
The low-income housing development isn't the only thing going on at St. Matthew's.
The basement of the worship space is used five days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. by various groups and churches.
Five churches of various denominations and a myriad of agencies such as The Urban, Assiniboine Alcoholics Anonymous, Friendship Sewing Circle, Aboriginal Circle of Educators utilize the space, rent-free or for reduced rent.
Finding a group of people and the spirit to make a project such as this succeed is hard to come by, says Campbell.
"We are blessed with people who are prepared to walk this long and hard journey," she says.
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