Kwe 55 project manager already embarking on next phase
The team behind the Kwe 55 social-housing unit is already embarking on the next phase of the project – and an engineering report that is expected by the end of the summer will determine the next steps, the project manager said.
An engineering report that will indicate if additional floors can be built onto the Kwe 55 building or the adjacent former Rustik restaurant building in Chateauguay is expected by late August or September, Fédération régionale des OSBL d'habitation de la Montérégie et de l'Estrie (FROHME) project manager Martin Becotte said.
“We are looking into first to see if the building’s foundation can accommodate additional storeys whether it’s on top of the Kwe 55 building or the adjacent kitchen, we have to wait for that to determine how we will go forward,” he said. “If we can build additional storeys onto the building, we’d like to do that and if we can’t then we’ll embark on the project to enlarge and modify the existing kitchen, which is derelict.”
Kwe 55 was officially inaugurated earlier this month. In the social-housing project, a minimum of five lodgings are reserved for Kahnawake community members at any one time. Social workers from Kahnawake Shakotiia'takehnhas Community Services (KSCS) and the CISSS-Monteregie-Ouest also provide support for residents in a culturally safe setting.
The project opened its doors to residents in 2023. The 31-room facility also features a laundry room and a common room for residents, with a television and seating available daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Becotte said FROHME is looking into two distinct possibilities for expansion. One is building additional units, as well as expanding the former restaurant kitchen into a vital food-security outlet for residents and the community at large. The second project would be a simple renovation and expansion of the kitchen, Becotte said.
“We have those two possibilities and we are exploring them both,” he said. “We want to see what the engineers say about the capacity of the facility before we can go forward.”
KSCS manager of addictions and mental wellness Alana Kane said she’s eager to see what might come of the space – because even though Kwe 55 residents are housed, they still have to feed themselves – and that’s not cheap.
“The price of food just keeps going up and up,” she said. “Obviously, these people are in low-cost housing but they still have to eat. We want to be able to look after people but we also want them to learn how to cook for themselves and look after themselves.”
FROHME director general Ivelina Nikolova confirmed the agency was pondering the next steps already.
“We are already reflecting on how Kwe 55 could respond to other needs, notably with that kitchen and the former Rustick restaurant,” she said. “We’d like to see if that kitchen could be another way for the communities to connect and to support even more people who need it.”
Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase
