Home sweet home is now a lot sweeter for the New Canadians Centre (NCC) in Peterborough.

According to executive director Andy Cragg, NCC has assumed ownership of St. James United Church at 221 Romaine Street (at Aylmer Street) where, since 2014, the non-profit charitable organization has occupied the building’s top floor.

As part of the purchase agreement, which took effect on April 1, the church congregation and theatre troupe St. James Players will continue to use the church as tenants, while NCC will offer rental opportunities beginning in June for the building’s gym, the 350-seat Wesley Hall performance venue, and other meeting areas.

In a statement, St. James United Church minister Julie van Haaften expressed her delight over NCC’s ownership of the building that dates back to late April 1917 when the church, which cost $21,000 to build, was dedicated.

“It means a great deal to us to have a community organization (as owner) that respects and loves the building as much as we do,” she writes, adding “The New Canadians Centre has been an exceptional tenant over the past 12 years.”

While Cragg won’t divulge the purchase price, he notes the process leading to the eventual sale began some two years ago when he asked church officials if they would ever consider selling the property.

“We had signed a 10-year lease that was expiring in 2024, and we went through the process to renew the lease for another 10 years just to kind of get that out of the way,” he recounts. “I asked them (if they would ever sell the church). They said they would think about it. They got back and said ‘We are serious about that.'”

“That kicked off two years of working on this in earnest. We did all our due diligence, including engaging Unity Design Studio to work with us to understand what our space needs now and in the future, as well as working with the folks from Cambium Engineering to really understand the state of the building.”

Its homework done, NCC made an offer that was accepted.

A huge motivating factor in the purchase, says Cragg, was the need for space to accommodate current staff and programs as well as potential growth.

“When the organization first moved in here, it had about 15 employees. When I started, it was 25, and now we’re close to 50 in a similar amount of space.”

“The building offers a tremendous amount,” says Cragg of the space. “There’s a gym, there’s a commercial kitchen, and there’s a performance venue in addition to all the office and meeting room space. It really allows us to do all of the things we do as an organization, and all the things we’d like to offer to the community.”

Another factor in the motivation to purchase the church, adds Cragg, was the potential for a new revenue stream as a result of the rental of space to other groups and organizations.

“We’re able to take this on in a way that is not putting us in a position that we’re strained financially at all,” notes Cragg, adding “It’s actually putting us into a much stronger financial position.”

“That allows us, as a charitable non-profit, to feel even more confident that our services will be available to newcomers in the broader community for years to come, because we’re now in a much stronger financial position.”

“We’ve never owned anything. Now we do. Like home ownership, property ownership for an organization is something that builds your equity. That’s something you can rely on and do things with over time.”

While making it clear NCC is not a religious-based organization, Cragg says his organization and the St. James congregation share many of the same values, including a vision for a diverse and inclusive community.

“It has always been a congregation that does a lot for the community in terms of giving back. We very much see ourselves as taking on that mantle, that legacy — being able, in a non-denominational way, to continue the space as the hub of community that it has been for more than 100 years. We hope to take that forward for another 100 years.”

While the church hasn’t been received historical designation from the City of Peterborough — a status that would protect it from certain exterior renovations — it has been listed on the city’s heritage register since 2018. Listed properties are not protected by a city by-law but are believed to have cultural heritage significance.

Cragg admits that NCC considered moving from its St. James Church location early in the process and, in fact, looked at other potential locations.

“Part of the process we went through with Unity Design Studio was understanding what our needs are and then look at whether that would work in the space that St. James has, but also what would it cost to move elsewhere,” he says.

“Specifically, looking at it from a comparison of staying versus moving and renting elsewhere, moving and trying to buy something else, or moving and trying to build something else. Far and away, the best option, for all sorts of reasons — financial, because we like the space and its characteristics, and it’s where people know us — was for us to stay.”

The biggest immediate change resulting from the purchase will be the moving of NCC’s reception area from its current second floor location to the ground floor.

“We’re getting our heads around what it means to be the owner of the space,” says Cragg. “It’s an adjustment for us to shift from the mindset of a tenant and needing to ask to use certain spaces at certain times, unless it’s already booked by someone else. Well, we can use it now because it’s ours.”

Reflecting on NCC’s growth from a small space on Sherbrooke Street to its rented space at St. James to its now ownership of the building, Cragg marvels at the progress made in a relatively short time.

More than that, after two years of keeping a closely guarded secret, Cragg is relieved the purchase has been finalized and delighted that he can finally share the good news.

“This is a win for the New Canadians Centre, and for the St. James congregation and the St. James Players as well. They get to continue in the space as tenants and we get to step into ownership.”

“For two organizations to negotiate all the details of sharing all this space is a long process, but it was founded in relationship and trust. I’m glad we were able to work through that and now be able to talk about it openly.”

While noting NCC is “thinking about” hosting an open house at its newly purchased property, Cragg says the organization’s annual general meeting on May 29 is a good opportunity to visit, as will be the annual NCC Block Party being planned for June.

Founded in 1979 when a group of community members came together to sponsor refugees fleeing the Communist regime in Vietnam, NCC has since helped newcomers to the region access a wide range of programs and services, such as settlement and employment counselling, language assessments, workshops on topics such as taxes and citizenship and skills training.

For more information on the New Canadians Centre, including its services and programs, visit nccpeterborough.ca.

VIDEO: A Place, A Home, A Legacy – New Canadians Centre

The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha is helping young people form connections by reintroducing the Buddy Bench program at two local schools.

Over the winter, École Catholique Monseigneur-Jamot and St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough each received a colourful schoolyard bench to be used to foster friendships and promote inclusivity among students.

“Being involved in this initiative aligns with our commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where every child feels seen, heard, and valued,” says Andrea Hatton, secretary for the high school side of École Catholique Monseigneur-Jamot. “It allows them to seek comfort without needing to speak a word. It serves as a gentle reminder to those around them that sometimes a quiet need for connection is just as important as words.”

An initiative that has taken place in communities around the world, the local Buddy Bench project was initiated in 2017 by late Rotarian Donna Geary and her son Nate Loch. The first bench was installed at St. Catharine’s Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough and, since then, Rotary has donated 12 more benches to schools around the region.

“It’s a fun, inclusive place where kids can join each other for some fun and some comradery,” says Rotarian Brenda Booth, who is leading the project. “In every place we’ve put them, they’re like magnets. They’re so fun and colourful, and the children clamber all over and can hardly wait to get on that bench.”

The benches are custom made by Taylors Recycled Plastic Products in Peterborough using recycled materials. While benches in other communities are typically solid in colour — often red — the local benches are uniquely colourful.

“We wanted to deal with a local company and that worked well with being environmentally friendly, because the environment is another focus for Rotary International,” says Booth. “We wanted them to appeal to the children and what they like is the bright colours and, in a subtle way, it speaks to inclusivity.”

Further highlighting the inclusivity, the bench given to École Catholique Monseigneur-Jamot this winter had the words “Buddy Bench” written in French (“Banc de L’amitié”). Hatton says the school was “deeply appreciative that the bench could be customized in French to reflect our school’s unique identity and inclusivity.”

“As a small francophone community, we do sometimes get overlooked — but in this case, they put us front and centre,” she says. “The Banc de l’amitié made for our school is such an amazing gift.”

With the relaunch of the Buddy Bench program, which had been on hiatus since the start of the pandemic, the Rotary Club of Peterborough has included the donation of signs to each school that outline the Four-Way Test, which Booth describes as a “cornerstone of a Rotarian and Rotary International.”

The adaptable philosophy involves asking a set of four questions that serve as a moral compass: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

“If everyone lived by the Four-Way Test, we wouldn’t need benches, there wouldn’t be wars, the world would be a kinder place to live, and we would be inclusive and tolerant,” Booth says. “That’s why as a Rotary club has included Four Way as part of our Buddy Bench program.”

At École Catholique Monseigneur-Jamot, one of the donated signs will be placed in the foyer so as to be easily seen by staff and students, “offering daily encouragement and reminders of our shared values,” Hatton says, while the second will be displayed in the cafeteria seating area.

“Sometimes, we all need to pause, even if just for a minute, to reflect on the questions on the Four-Way Test sign,” she says. “It’s an important reminder to slow down and think carefully about our actions. This simple reflection helps foster positive relationships and encourages thoughtful, respectful interactions with others.”

Booth says including the Four-Way Test when donating the benches to the schools has seen a great response with many educators, noting they hope to find a way to include the test in the school’s curriculum.

“It would be great to build an activity around it and it would be great for role play,” she says.

While École Catholique Monseigneur-Jamot has plans to eventually move the bench outdoors in the summer months, Hatton still acknowledges that its current location in the foyer has proven to be just as impactful, with students and teachers alike pausing to sit and reflect with the help of the bench.

“It’s become a quiet little space for all ages to take a breath in the middle of a busy day,” she says.

“Sometimes a simple bench can be more than just a seat — it can be a reminder to slow down, take a moment, and just be.”