A late summer evening cruise on Lake Ontario through the Toronto Islands was another leg on Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre’s (PARC) journey to creating affordable housing in Parkdale.

Several CAMH clients, family and staff got onboard the fundraising boat cruise to support the redevelopment of Edmond Place, located next door to PARC at 1495 Queen Street West.

Partnered with the City of Toronto and Habitat Services, PARC plans to redevelop the building into an affordable housing project in a renewed city property, designed to meet the needs of adults with mental health barriers.

Dancing to the music of Zephy and the Cruisers, those in attendance also enjoyed delicious food and entertainment set against the beautiful backdrop of the Toronto skyline.

CAMH Vice President of Clinical Programs Dr. Rohan Ganguli and Susan Gapka, Co-Chair, Empowerment Council, enjoy the evening spent on a lake cruise to raise money for Edmond Place, PARC’s affordable housing development.

Established in 1980, PARC began working with adults living in rooming houses in Parkdale. Its central focus is on improving the lives of low-income psychiatric survivors, the homeless and socially isolated adults through peer support. PARC’s work sheds light on the desperate need for housing for psychiatric survivors, and has always insisted that people with mental health histories be treated with dignity and respect.

Edmond Place is named in honour of Edmond Yu, a psychiatric survivor who was shot and killed by police in 1997 after a confrontation with them on a bus. Edmond had once lived in the building at 1495 Queen Street West when it was a rooming house.

CAMH is proud to partner with PARC on several projects serving people living with mental health and addictions issues. For more information about PARC or Edmond Place, please call 416 537-2262.