Fundraising starts to build bigger space for Cambridge's Haven House shelter

The Haven House women's shelter in Cambridge is one step closer to moving to a new, bigger location to deal with overcrowding.

The Women's Crisis Service of Waterloo Region launched a fundraising campaign this week to try to raise over $4 million to build a home for abused women.

Mary Zilney, the CEO of Women's Crisis Service of Waterloo Region, says the old building on Concession Road is so full, staff often send women to neighbouring cities for help.

"It's much easier if we can keep women in the community in which they had lived, because of that consistency with school and her employment and her other supports that she would have: friends and family and so forth."

The new building will be at 70 Acorn Way next to Christ the King Catholic School. 

Residents opposed the idea earlier this year but Zilney says there's still time to change local attitudes.

"A build takes a while to do and so there's a period of time that I'm hopeful that the neighbours will get excited and become involved in what we do and have a greater understanding of the need for the shelter."

Zilney says the residential neighbourhood is perfect for a shelter because it is close to bus routes, schools and grocery stores.

The crisis service hopes to start construction on the new facility next spring.