Arquivo MS-744 - Meadowcroft fonds

Meadowcroft Housing Corporation
In the late 1960s there was a lack of affordable housing for the high number of seniors living in the inner city. In 1968 Rev. Harry Meadows, minister at McDougall United Church and board member of Bissell Centre, a United Church outreach ministry, contacted Doug Matheson, a lawyer and member of Robertson United Church, to see what might be done. Doug in turn contacted his friend Don Carlson of Carlson Construction who agreed to design and build what would become Meadowcroft Seniors’ Residence. In 1971 accountant Reg Appleyard joined the group to provide financial expertise.
Bissell Housing Corporation Ltd. was incorporated in 1972. The name was changed to Meadowcroft Housing Corporation Ltd. in 1977, then to Matheson Seniors Housing Corporation in 2010.
Construction on Meadowcroft Seniors’ Residence began in 1971 and was officially completed in 1973. The site occupies 1.85 acres and provides affordable housing for low-income seniors. In 1996 a similar project called Douglass Tower was attempted on land adjacent to Meadowcroft, but financing could not be secured and the project failed to materialize.
The Meadowcroft Tenants Association formed in 1973, and provided social programs and a newsletter. Meadowcroft Tenants’ Association Executive ran the majority of social programs, meet with management to discuss improvements. Over the years the newsletter was taken over by the staff, but the Tenants Association still provides many social programs. In 1995 the Meadowcroft Tenants Association was incorporated, providing legal protection and the eligibility to apply for grants.

Meadowcroft Holdings
In 1973 Carlson Construction donated $100,000 to the Bissell Housing Corporation and Meadowcroft Holdings was created to invest the money. Using this nest egg, Meadowcroft Housing has brokered deals for different properties to be used as low-income housing, including the 9 unit Sherbrook Townhouses, purchased in 2009.

Meadowcroft Housing Society of Edmonton
In 1977 Meadowcroft Housing Corporation bought the 176 unit Brentwood Homes townhouse complex, and Meadowcroft Housing Society of Edmonton was incorporated in 1977 to hold the Brentwood property. As part of the financing agreement, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation would not allow the total units to be less than 176. If Meadowcroft wanted to make room for seniors without the present tenants losing their homes they had to build them in advance of tearing down older units. To do this the Meadowcroft Housing Society of Edmonton initiated “Phase II” (also called the Brentwood Homes Infill Project), and erected 31 additional units. This expansion required the land to be rezoned and consolidated into 2 lots. Phase II was built in 1982 by Nu-West Homes for $1,816,323.00.
Meadowcroft Housing Society of Edmonton began loaning other non-profit organizations money in the early 2000s. This practice has benefited local groups such as the Capital Region Housing Corporation and sister company CTD Housing Solutions Edmonton Ltd., as well as Women Building Futures and the Edmonton Housing Assistance Partnership.