Aftermath of Colborne fire is a good-news story
Courtesy of Today’s Northumberland
By Cecilia Nasmith
Northumberland County council's Social Services Committee got a glowing update at Tuesday's meeting on the widespread and supportive response to the Jan. 30 fire at a county property in Colborne that left 18 tenants homeless.
Associate Director of Housing and Homelessness Rebecca Snelgrove gave her report in response to a request from Cramahe Township Mayor Mandy Martin.
“It's a good-news story,” the former journalist promised - “I just would like for the committee to hear.”
“All tenants now have a housing plan where they will be moving into their temporary or permanent location in the next week,” Snelgrove began.
“The Legion in Cramahe has stepped up in a huge way and supported the community fundraiser for the tenants – a luncheon where the support from that fundraising was provided to the tenants from that fire.”
Other non-monetary donations were received, which were set up at the Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre and made available for tenants who needed them.
“We continue to work with our insurance company to navigate next steps in terms of clean-up. All our staff have been incredible in initiating and overseeing that work,” Snelgrove said.
“I would be remiss if I didn't give an acknowledgement to the housing-services team first and foremost for the work that they have done over the last six weeks or so, the amount of time they have put in and dedicated to find housing solutions for these individuals and support these tenants to the best of their ability.
“We also have seen support and initiatives stepped up through our other social-services staff, who have organized an ID clinic a couple of days following the fire to allow those folks who left their wallets behind and their ID behind to be able to facilitate that initial process to get their lives back on track with that ID.”
Facility staff were present on the scene, Snelgrove continued, to provide “literally anything they needed. They stepped up and did that alongside Cramahe staff, the Cramahe community, our first responders, our paramedics, the fire fighters, the OPP – everyone has rallied behind 8 King, and we really are moving forward now with a plan where we have our tenants safe. They have a future, a housing location, and we are working to continue to support them the best we can, while looking to the rebuild of 8 King St. in the future.”
Martin called this work “an incredible feat, I think, the way everyone's come together.
“At the luncheons where they were presented with some of the proceeds of the fundraising that went on, there were so many gracious comments and thanks from the actual tenants. It was very heart-warming. It really felt like a community. I salute Rebecca, you and your staff and everyone else that was involved.”
Committee chair John Logel suggested Martin also played a role in the response, but she demurred.
“It's the resident and everybody else who stepped up – truly incredible,” she added.