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Dreams are good
...
But dreams that come to
reality ...
are oh, so much better.
As you saw in that
wonderful video
...
40 Oaks is a dream
come true.
Two things connect a dream
to reality. The two scarce resources in life
...
time and money.
People often ask me
...
”where did all the money
come from?”
Okay, I will tell
you the story about the people who invested their money. Debra will
tell you about the people who invested their time.
Together we tell the story
of what I call the “fairytale come true of
...
the little charity that
could”
Once upon a time
...
(ok 2004 to be more
exact) the board of CRC met
...
right
...
I am guessing
...
over about
...
there
...
in this building.
The city had just decided
on the revitalization of Regent Park and the board had to decide whether
to go big or go home. They decided to go big and be a full and active
participant in the revitalization of Regent Park. Now, remember, this
was a charity with revenues of approximately $700k per year and running
an annual deficit at the time. They decided to build
...
a $22 million project
...
40 Oaks.
Hmmm? Let us say the board
...
had faith
...
faith on steroids?
As Debra said in the video
...
the dream was two fold.
-
ONE: To contribute to
the badly needed stock of affordable housing in the area
-
TWO: To build a
community hub on the first two levels that could help be the “community
living room” that 40 Oaks had been in the past
...
to help the community
knit back together.
I am now going to share
with you the story of the people who invested in that dream. I would
ask you to hold your well deserved applause until the end. I will give
you the sign.
The first stop for Paul
Dowling, the Head Visionary from the Board, hat in hand, was the
Toronto United Church Council which owned the land. They had to be
convinced that this dream was the highest and best use of this land
...
and that the dream was, in
fact, even possible. Vince Alfano of the TUCC and his board
agreed and later contributed some cash financing as well.
Next stop was Fairlawn
Avenue United Church. They had just merged with St James Bond United
Church and had decided to commit 100% of the proceeds of the sale of St
James Bond Church to Social Justice work in Toronto, especially
affordable housing. Fairlawn, under the leadership of Jannie Mills contributed
$1.7 million to the cause (and a lovely stained glass window).
The next organizations to
step to the plate were government. All three levels worked
together to make this happen. (This was a minor miracle in and of
itself ...
not up there with the
loaves and the fishes perhaps … but not bad).
The Federal government
contributed $3.6 million.
The Provincial
government contributed $2.5 million and we are fortunate to have
with us today Hon Kathleen Wynne Minister of Municipal
Affairs, Housing and Aboriginal Affairs.
And the City
contributed $2 million under the guidance of the Affordable Housing
office of Sean Gadon, Simon Liston and Erik Hunter. In addition
we have with us today Councillor Pam McConnell and former Mayor
Barbara Hall, both of whom have been long term supporters of CRC
and its 40 Oaks project.
We were nearly there
...
Another $600k or so was
needed to enable us to get mortgage financing to begin construction. So
...
Like all good children when
we are a little short of cash, what do we do?
...
We turned to
...
our “parents”
...
In the case of CRC, this
meant Rosedale United Church, the organization which had started
CRC as an outreach project in 1965. Under the leadership of Erik
Mathiesen, the current chair of outreach, Debra and I presented to
the congregation at Rosedale. Our closing line was
...
”you brought us into the
world, now
...
how about giving us the
money so that we can go off to university”
...
Rosedale came through with
the $650k which allowed us to start construction in April of 2010 and so
it began.
One dream ends
...
another begins
...
This left us with a little
over a million to raise. But we started construction with the belief of
“build it and they will come”. And they did.
Deer Park United Church
contributed $500k (and a beautiful stained glass window from the Macrae
family
The United Church of
Canada contributed $250k
And the Sprott Family
Foundation, The Steve and Jacqui Rogers family and Greig
and Carolyn Clark family contributed the balance.
This was the final act of
faith which pushed this building over the top
...
to being fully financed and
fully completed
...
pretty much on budget, and
on time ...
so
...
we could open our doors
on Jan 1 2012 to what you see here today.
Okay everybody
...
now, it’s your turn
...
Could we now have a
vigorous round of applause for all those great people and organizations
that had the faith to invest their money in this dream.
The building was done
...
from the steel girders to
the concrete floors
...
Right down to all the
furniture and even
...
as my friend Jimmy points
out in the video
...
the salt and pepper shakers
...
And these were even
filled with salt and pepper by volunteers on move-in week
...
every detail thought
through ...
yes, Bricks and Mortar make
a house ...
but
...
It takes people to
make it a home
People who care
...
and Debra will tell you
more about them
...
but Debra
...
I am going to step on
your turf a little here and thank three people
...
without whom the CRC
...
and, hence the 40 Oaks
story, would not be possible.
First there is our founder
...
Rev. John
Metson ...
(his wife Gayle is with us
here today)
...
John was first hired by
Rosedale United Church in 1965 and sent into this area of Toronto and
told ...
“make something good happen
John” ...
and he did. He accepted the
job ...
but not the intended name
...
He said
...
prophetically
...
I will not go in there
and be a Mission
...
I will not try and convert
people ...
I will help found a
Resource Centre
...
to help people to help
themselves
...
and that has been in the
DNA of this place ever since.
John was succeeded by
Rev. Michael Blair in 2003. It was under Michael’s leadership that
the bold 2004 decision was made and the 40 Oaks dream began.
Michael was succeeded
in Jan 2008 by Debra Dineen
...
who was given the minor
assignment of managing this $700k charity
...
“run its programs
...
oh,
...
and get it to break even
...
and, oh yes
...
Debra by the way
...
while you are doing that
...
could you please design,
...
finance
...
and build this little $22
million project?”
Well you know the ending.
Debra more than rose to the challenge. I like to paraphrase US Five Star
General Omar N Bradley when I say that Debra was the “right leader in
the right place at the right time”.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up
...
loud and proud ...
and I mean loud and proud for our fearless leader
...
Debra Dineen.
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