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Nov 22nd, 2018

Community garden revitalization unveiled at Blair House

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On November 21, 2018, PCL Constructors Canada Inc., United Way Ottawa, Synapcity and Ottawa Community Housing unveiled a renewal of the side yard at Blair House.

The project is a revitalization of the side yard at Blair House, an OCHC building of mostly seniors who live alone.

The initiative engaged tenants of Blair House to contribute ideas for a safer, more vibrant and community-focused yard for the building. The goal was to create a space that is more accessible and inviting and would inspire pride of place for residents. In the spring, residents will be adding to the new space by planting a garden.

It was made possible thanks to a $30,000 donation from the PCL Hard Hat Heroes Fund. The fund has done six such transformative projects in the capital.

The Hard Hat Heroes Fund supports capital projects that make neighbourhood improvements in Ottawa.

QUOTES

“Magic happens when together we transform our communities to make them a better place to call home,” – Stéphane Giguère, OCHC CEO

“This is one of many PCL Hard Hat Heroes funded projects that has allowed our employees to truly see what an impact their donations are making towards communities in need. These communities are often overlooked for funding and do not have the time or manpower to do fundraisers, to upgrade, or change what is needed to make a true difference. This Hard Hat Heroes initiative is a true sign of the vested interest our employees have in our community because PCL employees contribute each dollar through their annual charitable campaign contributions. We are very proud of our commitment.” – Kevin Skinner, Vice-President & District Manager, PCL

“Our mission is to bring people and resources together to build a strong, healthy, safe community for all.” – Carole Gagnon, Vice-President, Community Services at United Way Ottawa.

For additional information please contact:

Jennifer McIntosh – Communications and Marketing Specialist – OCH – Cell: 613-914-9953

jennifer.mcintosh@och.ca | Twitter | LinkedIN | Facebook

Christine MacCormack – Communications Specialist – PCL Constructors Canada Inc. Cell: 613-228-5373

cmaccormack@pcl.com

Hayley Robateau – Manager, Media Relations and Communications – United Way Ottawa Cell: 613-898-6907

hrobateau@unitedwayottawa.ca

 About Ottawa Community Housing

Ottawa Community Housing (OCHC) provides approximately 15,000 homes to over 31,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with special needs, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCH houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCH is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa, managing two-thirds of the City’s social housing portfolio, and is the second largest in Ontario.

 About PCL Construction Canada Inc.

PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and in Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial, and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in 31 major centers. Together, these companies have an annual construction volume of $8 billion, making PCL the largest contracting organization in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Watch us build at PCL.com.

About United Way Ottawa

United Way Ottawa invests resources where they are needed most and will have the greatest impact. Through research, evaluation and partnerships with community experts we identify the root causes of the biggest social challenges facing our community and help find solutions that change tens of thousands of lives for the better. One hundred percent of donations to United Way Ottawa stay in Ottawa to help those most in need. Learn more about our work at www.unitedwayottawa.ca.

About Synapcity

Synapcity brings people and institutions together to create a better Ottawa. As a community broker, we know that trusting relationships are central to making change. Civic engagement means more than voting, or getting involved in public discourse – it is also about participating in our own communities. Our belief is that cities are more resilient and happier when they are co-created – participatory CityMaking. This is why we work with both people and institutions as equal beneficiaries.