CLARENVILLE, N.L. — For Angela Bursey, her home is worth everything.
Bursey is a resident of the New Life Community Church apartments developed in the community as affordable housing.
“It meant a million dollars, put it that way,” said Bursey.
Having lived in the apartment since February 2018, she says it came at a time when she needed it most.
Bursey told The Packet she had just gotten discharged from the hospital after fighting double pneumonia.
She says New Life Community Church has done so much for her in addition to the affordable housing—providing support as well as contributing appliances and furniture for her new living space.
For everything they had done during a difficult time in her life, Bursey says she is so thankful.
“It’s beautiful.”
Tuesday, March 12 was the official opening of the affordable housing completed by the church, which saw attendance from various levels of government which contributed to the project, as well as many guests and New Life congregation members.
The ribbon was officially cut by New Life pastor Albert Trask, Bonavista-Burin-Trinity MP Churence Rogers, minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation Lisa Dempster, Terra Nova MHA Colin Holloway and Bursey.
The 10 two-bedroom units were completed during the past year with the earliest tenant moving in late in 2017.
The $1.25 million contributed to realize the project was split evenly by the province and federal governments. It also received an additional $73,000 for programming and services space through the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation’s Provincial Homelessness fund.
The Town of Clarenville was able to help by donating the land on Moore’s Road where the units are situated.
Also in attendance at the unveiling were Clarenville Mayor Frazer Russell, CEO of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation Glen Goss, Jill Snow of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and members of the church’s board.
At the official opening, Trask said the project is a great example of what people can do if they work together.
“What we can do together is so much more impacting than what we do individually,” he said.
He added they’re not done yet.
Trask says there are so many more great community-minded projects to be tackled—including the possibility of a “furniture ministry.”
“Supportive housing is just one of the many things within (our) vision,” said Trask.
He says the furniture ministry sees a community drop-off point where people can donate all types of used furniture, which can be distributed to those in need in the community.
All they need as a first step would be a building to house the beds, couches, appliances and other donations, ready to be given back to the people who need them most.
