Everlast Group is making a $9 million investment to convert the former Chatham YMCA building into a residence that will house 200 international students in the future.
“We are giving a new life to the old ‘Y’ and it will be for the students,” said Victor Boutin, principal at Everlast Group, during an media event on Thursday to show how the project is progressing.
Named La Residence, he said each unit of the first phase, slated to be completed by the end of March, will have four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen with fridge and stove and a living room and dining room.
“As part of our commitment to prove that Chatham-Kent is the right community for investment, we have launched an aggressive build timeline to have La Residence completed in a little over a year,” Boutin said.
Construction began in November 2018 and La Residence project supervisor Brian Chute said phase two is planned to be completed in June and the final phase should be wrapped up by the end of December.
Boutin said he spoke with St. Clair College officials and learned they have students coming from India and China and other parts of the world.
“If we do a great thing for them, they will bring other students here,” he said.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff called the project an “exciting opportunity,” citing the fact the municipality and council have identified post secondary education as an important aspect of building the community.
“What a great opportunity for Chatham-Kent to attract those individuals,” he said.
Canniff added bringing 200 students into the downtown area will provide an economic boost and hopefully many of the students will choose to stay here in the roles they have trained for, because their skill-sets are needed.
“This is a great advancement for Chatham-Kent and I look forward to seeing this progress,” Canniff said.
“This is a very important project not only because it breathes new life into an old building, it also increases the number of affordable spaces for students to live,” said Frank Moceri, industry liaison for St. Clair College, in a written release.
“This endeavour will support St. Clair College’s growth and development,” he added.
Following the completion of phase 3, it is planned that students will be able to begin accessing the residence in line with the college’s semester schedule.
Boutin said he plans to provide some recreational activities for the students onsite, including a gymnasium and tennis court.
He added plans also include doing some kind of development along the Thames River in a few years to provide canoeing and kayaking for students.
Calling students the future, Boutin said, “If we do a great thing for them, they will bring other students here.”
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@Chathamnews
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