MennoHomes

Story and Photo by Barb Draper
Editorial Assistant - Canadian Mennonite
Crosshill, Ont.

With a spirit of confidence, the MennoHomes Inc. board presented the progress on its project to provide affordable housing for rural families in Waterloo Region at a consultation held at Crosshill Mennonite Church on April 15. Even if government funding is not available, MennoHomes has enough support to begin building at least two units.

Among those who addressed the group was Jacob Reimer from Aylmer, Ont., a minister of the Old Colony Mennonite Church and a member of the board of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Ontario. He introduced some Old Colony men, including four from Virgil, Ont., who have experience in construction and who have expressed willingness to provide volunteer labour for a weekend building blitz. Because many of the families who will benefit from rural affordable housing are connected with the Old Colony Mennonite Church, this partnership has given MennoHomes a great deal of optimism.

“I feel for these people,” said Reimer, as he reflected on the challenge of living in sub-standard housing. He went on to describe his childhood experience of living in a house near New Liskeard, Ont., with nothing but boards and wood-fibre sheathing covering the studs. In the upstairs children’s bedrooms there were cracks between the boards so that they could see outside, and on winter mornings their blankets would be covered with hoarfrost.

The plan that MennoHomes presented to Waterloo Region to build eight rental units was approved, although it is not certain that government funding will follow. MennoHomes has purchased two lots in the village of Wellesley, planning to build two four-bedroom semi-detached houses on each, and is searching for suitable lots in Woolwich Township. Murray Leis Construction has agreed to act as project manager using volunteer labour and there is a great deal of optimism that local companies will donate some building supplies.

In his concluding remarks, Rick Cober Bauman, executive director of MCC Ontario, suggested that it is time that the Mennonites who have been in Waterloo Region for a long time open their arms and welcome their brothers and sisters of the Low German community.

Jacob Reimer challenged his comments, suggesting that this MennoHomes project is part of an ongoing generosity.  “When we were in New Liskeard, we saw a van come into our yard,” Reimer said. As a child, he didn’t hear what the driver said to his parents, but he clearly remembers that in the winter of 1957-58 the delivery included flour, cereal, apple butter and canned beef that came from the people of MCC Ontario. “I don’t know if you were involved,” he told the people gathered, “but may the Lord bless you all.”

Margaret Nally, a member of the MennoHomes board, led a litany during the consultation in which this model represented the goal of providing affordable housing for large Low German Mennonite families in rural areas of Waterloo Region.