A plan to create a central space for non-profit groups in the city got a boost recently with an experienced organization coming on board.
The New Path Foundation, which has facilities in Orillia, Barrie and southern Simcoe County, is now the lead partner of the project, now known as Orillia Common Roof.
The foundation will own the building and co-ordinate the securing of a building, said its vice-president, Neville Twine.
The initial idea to create a common space was that of a local group called Under One Roof. Members of that organization “were looking for a way to move this concept along,” said Twine.
They asked the New Path Foundation to take a lead role after seeing a presentation the foundation gave in Toronto relating to the Common Roof concept.
“We said yes,” Twine said, noting Orillia’s New Path Youth and Family Services was already part of Under One Roof.
Under One Roof had about 25 organizations interested, he said, and there are about 10 prepared to move in with Common Roof.
The leadership team in Orillia includes representatives from the Sharing Place Food Bank, Children’s Treatment Network, Orillia Housing Resource Network, Simcoe Outreach Services, United Way, the City of Orillia and Simcoe County Social Services.
“The Orillia Common Roof will be an effective social investment,” Sharing Place board member Anderson Charters stated in a news release. “Agencies will benefit from the sustainable costs, long-term planning and increased visibility that will almost certainly result.”
While there’s no set timeline to secure a building and get it up and running, “this thing could boogie rapidly” with minimal roadblocks, Twine said.
