Tenants are now moving in to the city’s newest supportive housing project known as The Station, located on Queen Street.
During a tour last week, myFM had the opportunity to speak with Natasha Thuemler, Indwell’s regional manager based in London.
Indwell owns and operates the four-storey, 45-unit apartment complex.
Indwell is a Christian charity that has created supportive housing in several southern Ontario municipalities, including London, Hamilton, Woodstock, Cambridge and Simcoe.
Indwell’s first project in St. Thomas, Railway City Lofts, consists of 15 micro-apartments above the transit building on Talbot Street.
As part of the city’s compassionate community strategy, in early 2021, St. Thomas entered into a memorandum of understanding with Indwell Community Homes to develop supportive housing projects.
Thuemler outlines Indwell’s value system.
Something Indwell will offer 45 individuals at The Station as well a permanent address.
She expects the units to be fully occupied by the end of next month.
The one-bedroom apartments are fully furnished including a full kitchen with fridge, stove and microwave.
Once moved in, tenants can stay as long as they desire or if they feel confident they can now go it on their own, they can move to a new residence of their choosing.
The Station is an attractive structure, tastefully landscaped that, down the road, will house a satellite fire station.
With The Station being Phase 2 of Indwell’s goal of providing 100 housing units, we asked Thuemler if plans are now in the works for Phase 3.
“There has been talk about Phase 3 and we talk about the spectrum of housing. There’s also the spectrum of supportive housing and so initially someone may need a more intense level of support and onsite presence and down the road they may not need that level of intensity.
“But value the assurance of being able to reach out to someone should they need it and so Indwell does offer some of that spectrum of supportive housing and we’re excited about the potential opportunity to bring that to St. Thomas.”
She agreed it is too far down the road to understand what future housing options may look like.
“But, we’re excited about any possibilities that may come.”
Written by Ian McCallum
