GUELPH – Lori Richer, housing stability manager for Wellington County’s housing services division, has received the Local Municipal Champion Award.
In a June 12 social services committee meeting report, housing director Ryan Pettipiere noted Richer received the award at the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association leadership conference in Thunder Bay in May.
Richer was honoured for helping make system-level changes and a measurable reduction in homelessness in Guelph Wellington.
“Lori has worked with community partners in our community to transform the local homeless-serving system in our community, moving from a silo approach to one of collaboration and a ‘no wrong door’ system, resulting in an overall reduction of chronic homelessness of 24 per cent,” Pettipiere stated.
Guelph-Wellington has reported 136 chronically homeless people as of March, which is a significant reduction from the 178 reported last September, the report notes.
“Our efforts have housed 19 people in March alone and have moved in 485 individuals from homelessness since beginning reporting in February 2017,” said Pettipiere. “Congratulations Lori and the community Built for Zero team on this success and well-deserved provincial recognition.”
Tender awarded
Mapleton Flooring and Windows of Drayton has been awarded the contract to replace windows, doors and siding at social housing family units in Palmerston.
The company’s tender of $167,258 was the lower of two submitted. The other, for $329,115, came from Dakon Construction Ltd. of Waterloo.
Children’s literacy event
The Hillsburgh branch will host the Wellington County Library system’s first children’s literacy festival this August.
The event will be held on the afternoon of Aug. 17 and feature authors, musicians, games and technology for children and their families.
Program librarian Justine Dainard has worked with staff for months to prepare for the event, notes chief librarian Murray McCabe in a June 12 staff report.
The festival will take place after the local Spirit of the Hills event that morning.
