A New Home on Old Land
Location of the new Caldwell First Nation reserve in Leamington, Ontario, north of Point Pelee and Lake Erie.
It is with great honour that the SpruceLab team announces we are part of a leading edge consultant team helping Caldwell First Nation to design and develop the first piece of their new reserve lands (almost 200 acres, out of about 700 acres already owned) near Seacliff Dr. and Bevel Line Rd., Leamington, north of Point Pelee in Southern Ontario. Caldwell First Nation has a unique story to tell and much to celebrate. They have been fighting for 230 years to claim some of their homeland back from the federal government and settler community in present-day Canada. They final won their land back in November of 2020. Throughout that time the Nation has not had land to call its own since their Peoples were removed by force from their Traditional Territories by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the 1800’s, and have lived scattered in the area, London, and across Turtle Island. Their vision and perseverance has truly paid off, as they now continue the important work of rebuilding their Nation - on their community’s Land.
Working closely with Green Reason (sustainability building and project management), Baird AE (architecture, engineering), and Quantum Passivhaus (passive design-building), SpruceLab is collaborating with Caldwell First Nation to co-create their new reserve neighbourhood. Fundamental to this undertaking is ensuring that we listen closely to what the community needs and wants, with the understanding that what happens in the first phase needs to be designed in the context of the overall vision for the reserve. As we lead community engagement for the landscape design, currently in the schematic design phase, we look forward to helping bring the inaugural work of this project to life in the coming years.
“We’re going to have a community for the first time for our members. It’s a big moment for our community.”
Groundbreaking event with ceremony held on June 10, 2023, to formally begin the development with cultural protocols.
This precedent-setting sustainable development is planned in several phases, with Phase I known as a Rapid Housing Initiative, funded by the federal government. The current designs are focused on Phase 1 of this work, and infrastructure work for services has already begun (e.g. water, sanitary, electrical, etc.). There are 28 housing units in total, with 12 units in duplexes and 16 units in fourplexes in this phase, which are “geared-to-income.” Half of the units designed for seniors. Out of the total housing only 26 are funded for rapid housing, while two are funded through CMHC’s Section 95 loan program.
The intention is to design biodiverse, welcoming, and accessible spaces, that will help bring the community together - all people, ages, and all creatures that call this place home. This work is also complemented with our recommendations (inspired by community feedback) for updating the conceptual masterplan for the reserve lands (created by Baird A/E, and approved by Chief and Council), to be realized over the upcoming decades.
Please stay tuned as we move through this exciting project with Caldwell First Nation! We are truly honoured and blessed to have this opportunity, and look forward to helping make the Nation’s dreams a reality.
You can learn more about the project and the groundbreaking event here: Caldwell First Nation blesses land slated for new urban community | Windsor Star
Sheila, Gwen and Natalie at the Caldwell First Nation reserve lands, with architect Alan Murphy (Project Manager, Green Reason) behind us. This is a significant moment, as this was the first time that Alan was able to walk the entire site, in which some areas had been closed to access previously.
