Sadness and joy at plans to turn St. John's convent into affordable housing
Presentation Sisters have mixed emotions about saying goodbye to the building where many of them lived
An estimated $1.52-million gift from the Presentation Sisters is set to be transformed into affordable housing for St. John's seniors.
The Roman Catholic religious order said Thursday that it is giving the 160-year-old St. Patrick's Convent to the City of St. John's.
City officials said — with $1.8 million from St. John's and $2.4 Million from the province — the building will be transformed into 22 affordable housing units.
Four members of the teaching order established the convent on Jan. 10, 1856 in the area then known as Riverhead, in the city's west end.
Since then more than 200 women, such as Sister Patricia Whittle, have called the convent behind St. Patrick's Church their home.
"I'm one of the last sisters to leave. It's a sad occasion but on the other hand this building is going to a very worthy cause so I'm glad of that as well," said Whittle.
She's one of a handful of nuns who lived at the convent until this fall when all of them moved to the Presentation Sisters' main convent, near the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
The sisters initially taught both boys and girls at St. Patrick's Convent School adjacent to the convent, later teaching only girls at the institution, before it closed in 1999.
Need growing 'by leaps and bounds'
"It is truly humbling to receive such a significant gift, we will be forever grateful and we commit to preserving the historical values of the building," said Coun. Jonathan Galgay, who was on hand for Thursday's announcement.
Galgay said that as a child he learned to play piano in the convent and ran amok in its halls.
"If this building survived Councillor Galgay, I'm sure it will stand for a long time for sure," joked Deputy Mayor Ron Ellsworth.
At present our population of seniors is around 20 percent which will grow to 30 percent in the coming years.- Ron Ellsworth
Ribbing aside, Ellsworth said there is a great need for supportive housing.
"At present our population of seniors is around 20 percent which will grow to 30 percent in the coming years so the demand for providing services is growing in leaps and bounds," he said.
"We are committed to providing affordable housing units for seniors in need of a safe and supportive place to call home."
It's expected the building will be ready to accept new residents in about a year.