Leadership on United Circle: Building Community Close to Home

Some of the most meaningful community work happens quietly and close to home.

For the past nine years, I have had the privilege of serving on the Board of Trinity Glen Housing Corporation, and today I serve as Vice Chair. It is a role that has given me an opportunity to learn, contribute and better understand the importance of community housing right here in Newmarket.

And when I say close to home, I mean it.

Trinity Glen is located at 2 United Circle, right here in Ward 6.

It is a community of 90 townhomes where families are raising children, building lives and putting down roots. There is a playground filled with kids, a large activity room that brings people together, and schools, parks and public transit nearby.

It is not simply housing. It is a neighbourhood.

Over my nine years on the Board, I have been proud to be part of a team that has continued to invest in this community and the people who call it home.

That has included significant improvements such as roof and sheathing replacements, accessibility upgrades to the community centre, new driveways, new benches and, most recently, a new entrance sign welcoming residents and visitors to Trinity Glen.

One improvement I am particularly proud of has been our work to make the homes more comfortable and energy efficient. Moving from electric baseboard heating to heat pumps is helping to reduce emissions and energy costs while also providing residents with air conditioning, something these homes previously did not have.

These improvements matter because maintaining community housing is just as important as building it. The homes and shared spaces need to continue serving families well for years to come.

But building a strong community is about much more than bricks, roofs and heating systems.

It is also about creating opportunities for neighbours to meet, children to participate and families to feel connected to where they live.

Our community garden is one example. It provides residents with an opportunity to grow something of their own while creating another shared space where neighbours can connect.

Our annual community BBQs bring residents and families together in a relaxed and welcoming environment, while our garden contest has added some friendly competition and encouraged residents to take pride in their homes and neighbourhood.

These may sound like small things, but they are an important part of creating a sense of belonging.

Our partnership with 360°kids has also brought programming directly into Trinity Glen for children and youth. Through YOUTHrive, young residents have access to recreation, mentorship, homework assistance, life-skills development and a safe place to connect with other young people in their community.

Summer camps and after-school activities provide even more opportunities for children to participate, make friends and simply have fun close to home.

Taken together, the playground, community garden, BBQs, youth programs, garden contest and shared spaces help make Trinity Glen more than a place to live.

They help make it a community.

The families who live at Trinity Glen are part of our Ward 6 community. Their children attend our schools. They play in our parks, participate in local activities and grow up alongside other children in our neighbourhoods.

We hear a great deal today about the housing challenges facing communities across Ontario. There are no easy or immediate answers. Governments at every level, housing providers, non-profit organizations and community partners all have different roles to play.

I don't believe any one person or organization can solve something this complex.

I do believe we can choose to participate in the solutions.

For me, serving Trinity Glen has been one way of doing that.

Nine years on the Board has reinforced something that can sometimes get lost when we talk about housing in terms of policies, numbers and statistics.

At the centre of housing are people.

A stable home gives a family more than a place to live. It provides a foundation. It gives children a place to grow, families a place to belong and neighbours an opportunity to become part of a community.

I have always believed that being a Councillor means more than attending meetings and making decisions around the Council table. Community leadership also means showing up, volunteering, listening, learning and giving your time to organizations doing important work.

Sometimes those opportunities are quite literally in your own backyard.

I am proud of what has been accomplished at Trinity Glen over the past nine years, from major investments in the homes themselves to a community garden, children's programs and something as simple as neighbours sharing a meal together at an annual BBQ.

Because all of it matters.

There will always be big challenges facing our communities, and housing is certainly one of them. We may not individually have all the answers, but that shouldn't stop us from asking a much simpler question:

How can I help?

For me, part of that answer has been Trinity Glen.

Nine years later, I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve as Vice Chair, to work alongside people who care deeply about this community, and to contribute in a small but meaningful way to something that matters right here at home.

Because strong communities aren't built by one person. They're built when neighbours care about neighbours and each of us finds a way to contribute.