Pathway’s Newly Completed Affordable and Fully Accessible Apartments

Adding new units to our Pathway affordable housing portfolio has been a long journey. This is why, on December 17, I was thrilled to attend a significant milestone in the mission of Pathway Non-profit Community Developments Inc. of Peel (Pathway) to create affordable housing. This was when we celebrated the opening of six new apartments in Pathway’s Arbor Mill affordable housing complex. These apartments will soon be the homes for six eligible families who currently live in our two Pathway-owned buildings and have accessibility needs.

This project was realized through the “gentle densification” of an existing affordable housing site. The opportunity became possible after the relaxation of zoning height restrictions that previously limited the north end to just four stories. By adding two new stories to the north end of the Arbour Mill apartment block, Pathway was able to build four new one-bedroom and two two-bedroom units within the footprint of its existing building. Although the construction costs of adding two stories to an existing site were inevitably more expensive than a new build, Pathway saved by not having to acquire additional land. Furthermore, by integrating these new homes into an established community, residents will benefit from existing support systems and amenities.

Pathway has always embraced sustainability and energy-efficient protocols. As part of this project, the architects and construction team were the first in Mississauga to use prefabricated-mass-timber components. The increased use of wood in construction is becoming an important response to the climate crisis given that wood has a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional materials. As the first project in Mississauga to use prefabricated mass timber, it has set a precedent for environmentally conscious development in the region. The architects are pleased to share the lessons learned from this innovative approach,

The road to completing the project had many other challenges. The architects and construction teams had to navigate numerous technical and logistical obstacles. These included locating and rerouting existing wiring and services; ensuring the design complied with all accessibility regulations for fully accessible living units; managing space constraints for new plumbing, containing new heating and cooling systems within the envelope dimensions of an existing structure; ensuring compliance with updated sprinkler system regulations for residential buildings; and, upgrading fire panels and other building code requirements for the existing structure. Above all, with existing tenants in the building, they always had to be conscious of managing disruption and construction noise.

In conclusion, this achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and vision of so many. I am deeply grateful to:

• The members of our congregation and those of our interfaith partners, Streetsville United Church and the Unitarian Congregation of South Peel, who have supported and shaped Pathway’s mission since its inception
• Numerous Solel members and members of our interfaith partners have served on the Pathway boards and committees for the last three decades, including many who have taken leadership positions
• Roman Spektor, Pathway’s General manager, for his unparalleled vision, leadership, and passion.
• Cathy Tafler project Architect, Tafler Rylett Architects
• Scott Construction, Vortex Fire, GSAI Planners and the Canadian Wood Council.
• The Regional of Peel

Together, this group has achieved something remarkable, and Solel looks forward to continuing our work to provide and model the creation and management of well-designed and functionally attractive affordable and sustainable housing for our community.

On a personal note, I have always found volunteering for Pathway to be a rewarding and stimulating experience – and I particularly value the continued opportunity to work with our interfaith partners. We continue to welcome new Solel participants. To find out more, please feel free to reach out to the Solel members who currently serve on one of the three Pathway boards: Shirley Evans, Michel Fich, Ted Greenberg, Gavin Herman, Larry Plener, and myself.

John

Filed under: President's Message

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