MARATHON — The need for housing is being addressed head-on with major progress on two housing complexes and the finalizing of plans for a 105-lot subdivision.
Out of all three projects Marathon has on-the-go, a 30-unit, Indigenous housing complex built in collaboration with Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services is the first that has been completed.
In a statement provided to Dougall Media, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services director of housing development Cathy Connor wrote that they “are thrilled to announce the successful completion of [their] housing development in Marathon.”
“With the occupancy permit in hand, we are excited to open the doors to 30 two-bedroom apartments, providing not just safe and affordable housing, but also a sense of community and belonging,” Connor said. “Together with the Métis Nation of Ontario, we are committed to nurturing and enhancing the well-being of Marathon’s residents, one home at a time.”
Mayor Rick Dumas said that, despite some delays, he is happy to see the new complex finished and accepting applications.
“It was supposed to open a little earlier — in June or July — but there was a little delay, some construction delays,” Dumas said. “They’re taking applications as we speak, so there will probably be people moving in the near future.”
The idea for the 30-unit facility sprung up recently, just after pandemic restrictions began “lightening up” across the province near the end of 2021 into early 2022.
In contrast, Dumas mentioned the idea for the 50-unit, Gendron Northshore Living complex currently in-construction at the top of Penn Lake Heights has been in the works for “many years” and is a long time coming.
“There was a need for that," he said.
The Gendron project is a collaborative effort between the township, the Marathon Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation, and CGV Group.
Dumas noted that the Gendron project is “slated for the spring/summer of 2024 to be completed and open.”
Both facilities — the 50-unit non-profit housing and 30-unit Indigenous housing — address a need already present in Marathon, but another huge development should see the area well-prepared for an influx of workers with current and future mining activities.
“We, of course, have gone through the tendering process... to have a 105-lot subdivision built up on top of Penn Lake Heights as well,” Dumas said.
“[It’s] part of our stage two facilities where we had development back in the ‘80s when we were gonna grow more than we did but we didn’t develop that portion of the subdivision, so we went and cleared some land up there, got a detailed [concept] design done… [we’ve] been meeting with various contractors, been meeting with the mining sector to see what the demand is [and] we’ll be doing that in phases.”
“Am I gonna say that there’s going to be 105 homes built right away? Probably not. But the reality is that it will be a phased program. So, if there’s 10 or 20 homes needed, the developer will come in and develop 10 or 20 or 30 homes but the site will [remain] accessible for the whole 105… if somebody wants to come in and develop 105 homes, that’s great... give us a call.”
Dumas said that with everything going on in and around Marathon, these housing developments are “really good” for the community.
“We’re meeting all the targets — probably well-exceeding the targets that the province is setting in regards to the housing needs. I know they talked about 1.5 million homes in 10 years — well, if you look at our per capita we’re probably well-exceeding that number by far in Marathon. So, we’re very excited and we look forward to the expansion and growth of our community," Dumas said.