By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A temporary residence for some of the folks displaced by the fire at 99 McNaughton Ave. in Chatham has been set up in Dresden.
According to a municipal media release, Chatham-Kent has worked out a deal with the new owners of Park Street Place to house residents at the former seniors’ retirement home.
The time-limited agreement is intended to provide shelter for up to 50 people while restoration work on the geared-to-income Chatham structure heavily damaged by arson Aug. 25 continues.
The release states the use of Park Street Place is strictly temporary and there are no plans to convert it into a permanent shelter in the future.
C-K’s director of housing services Josh Myers said the Dresden housing option provides stability in an uncertain time.
“The impact of the fire at 99 McNaughton and the challenges associated with it cannot be understated,” Myers told The Voice following the announcement, noting work is ongoing to repair the damage and get people back to their homes as quickly as possible.
“We truly appreciate that this has not been easy on the community and that the coming months will likely present new challenges,” he said. “This partnership is certainly a good news story and it has presented a viable option that previously was not thought possible.”
The fire displaced more than 100 people from the 120-unit structure. To date, the municipality has assisted 35 tenants with alternate housing options, while 25 tenants found their own shelter. As well, a total of 22 were assisted with temporary placements in retirement homes, seven were assisted with short-term options in the private market and six accepted transfers to other municipally owned units
A woman has been charged with arson in connection to the blaze and the matter is still before the courts. Police continue to search for a man they believe may also be responsible.
Rehabilitating 99 McNaughton may take months and an exact timeline is uncertain, officials said. Currently, there is no power in the building and significant work is required on safety systems, including fire alarms and hot water. The mechanical room and other sections of the building were severely impacted.
The municipality has led a co-ordinated response to the fire. The Canadian Red Cross was brought in to establish an emergency evacuation centre at the former St. Agnes School. As well, the C-K community has overwhelmingly stepped up with donations.
Transportation assistance will be arranged for all those heading to Dresden.
Park Street Place became vacant in 2023 after the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority pulled the license for the Dresden facility.
