Macaulay Village initiative designated a project of community interest

By Sharon Harrison
Whole-heartedly behind the Department of Illumination’s vision to bring a small community centre to Macaulay Village Park -also known locally as the Heights – council designated it a project of community interest. Many around the horseshoe not only praised the idea, but also its proposed execution.

The designation allows the Department of Illumination to receive donations and have official donation receipts issued for income tax purposes. A staff report to include municipal participation, associated costs and site suitability, along with a partnership agreement is to come for approval at the next feasible council meeting.

In her deputation at last week’s committee of the whole meeting, Krista Dalby, Artistic Director of the not-for-profit community arts organization, outlined plans to have a classroom portable installed at Macaulay Village Park, “in what we hope will be an exciting next step in this community’s future”.

“This designation will help strengthen our funding applications, demonstrate municipal alignment, encourage donation of goods and services, and ultimately help move this project forward,” she said.

The goal is to have a portable classroom (used but in very good condition) to serve as a small community centre year-round, to be installed and operational by fall this year. It will be 32-feet by 25-feet in size, with 750-square-feet of internal space. Additionally, a half-size sea can about 10-feet by 20-feet in size is to be stationed behind the portable to act as a solar power station.

Councillor Phil St-Jean described it as a very good project, and a perfect fit for that community, and a perfect expansion to meet the needs of the community.

“It has been over 15 years since there has been a recreation centre there, and it was operated by the ROC, so there is an absence, there is a gap there,” said St-Jean. “I am really happy to see that somebody is stepping forward and pulling this together.”

Dalby explained how a need has been identified by Macaulay Village residents through the 2024 Neighbourhood Plan where the Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Group identified four key priorities. A community centre came in at number two; community programming ranked number four.

“Macaulay Village is an historically under-served neighbourhood and is geographically isolated from the rest of Picton,” explained Dalby. “It has a dense population, with many families, and is roughly the same population as Bloomfield.”

She said one of the biggest barriers they have encountered is that there is no indoor gathering space meaning when there is programming and gatherings, they are largely limited to warmer months, with nothing going on for the rest of the year.

Several Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Group members spoke in favour of the project, including 13-year resident Jerri-Lynn Ostroskie who said the community centre will provide a versatile space, combat isolation and provide emergency supports. Others spoke to the difference it will make to all community members.

“In just a few short years, we have grown so much from having a tiny broken-down recycled park, recycled from an old school, and neighbours not knowing one another, to hosting events at our park, residential meetings, social gatherings and having neighbours actually engage with the growth,” said Ostroskie.

“We’ve worked hard on growing this little community and bringing inclusiveness and togetherness to a front. By approving the community hall today will be the beginning of many stepping stones.”

About $70,000 in funding for this project has already been secured through a Vital Impact Fund grant, and they are in the process of securing the remaining $100,000 of the project budget to ensure not only installation, but stable operations through the pilot year.

“After one year of demonstrated success, we will be eligible to apply for multi-year funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.”

Speaking on behalf of the Macaulay Village Neighbourhood Group, Casey Hinesman spoke to the collective pride of the re-developed park in Macaulay Village.

“Since the park’s revitalization, summers in Macaulay Village have brought greater connection as people gather to use the park, visit the free little library, visit the food pantry, the community garden, and attend events, such as the weekly Art Kitchen pop-up, and annual events, such as Winterfest, the Easter egg hunt, and reading round-up,” shared Hinesman.

But she said in the winter and in bad weather, the community becomes isolated. She also noted that Macaulay Village has one of the highest concentrations of rental housing, families and young children in the County and many residents lack reliable transportation to services in Picton.

“A year-round community building would change this by creating space for programs, services and opportunities for connection throughout all seasons,” she said.

In the first pilot year, they plan to offer free arts programming two days a week, tailored to different age groups and shaped by community input.

The Department of Illumination’s Hri Neil said the organization will own, maintain and insure the community centre, also noting that there is no real cost to the organization (aside from person hours in putting it together), as it will be funded through granting and sponsorship.

“As a not-for-profit organization, we’re not really typically in the ownership of buildings, it’s just the practicality of the situation and if we are going to make it happen, this is the best path forward,” explained Neil. “When we’ve looked at all the possibilities at what other spaces could be used for community year-round in that area, there is just nothing really available, and this is a quite inexpensive, relatively speaking, opportunity.”

Dalby said their long-term vision is that the community will increasingly take ownership of the space, with this project acting as a stepping stone toward a permanent community centre in the neighbourhood.

“I am really pleased to see the involvement of the community and the village itself,” shared councillor Bill Roberts, “not only does it bring creativity, but it also brings resilience, and what we need so much more of these days, is kindness and joy.”

“I find this so exciting, it looks like you have thought of everything, all the logistics, all of the pieces of the puzzles that need to get put together,” expressed councillor Kate MacNaughton. “I am really impressed with that thoughtfulness, and I am very excited, and I think that this is a project of community interest.”

It does indeed take a village and the Department of Illumination is not doing this alone, having partnered with several local organizations and agencies to bring additional programming aligned with social supports, educational opportunities, counselling, etc.

The new community centre space will also be bookable by residents for gatherings, games nights, birthday parties and so on.

Prince Edward County OPP constable Nicole Cordingley said that as a police officer, she has seen first-hand how access to safe, inclusive community spaces can positively impact neighbourhoods, especially for youth and families

“Initiatives like this help build trust, reduce social isolation and create opportunities for early positive engagement, which are all key factors in a long-term community safety and well-being.”

“The partnerships are in place. Seed funding is secured. The vision is community-driven and has the potential for meaningful social impact. This is a practical, achievable step toward greater equity, connection, and opportunity within our County,” Dalby concluded.

“This is great, this is grass roots at its best,” added St-Jean, “this is the community identifying what they believe the needs are within that small piece of our community.”