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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, August 6, 2015 | 6 Jean and Howard Caine Apartments celebrates 20 years by Bob Mitchell Oakville Beaver Staff Spotlight "Connected to your Community" T he Jean and Howard Caine Apartments in Oakville had to overcome obstacles even before a single shovel went into the ground. Contaminated soil had to be removed, some angry neighbours didn't want it built, and then just before tenants were about to move in, another $200,000 was needed for sprinklers before the Fire Marshall would allow occupancy. But two decades later, the apartment building on Robinson Street, owned and operated by the March of Dimes Non-Pro t Housing Corporation, remains a Godsend for tenants, including the longest tenant and one of the newest, as the building marked its 20th anniversary last week. "I truly don't know where I'd be living right now without this place," said Martha Johnson, 50, who has multiple health issues, including lifelong cerebral palsy. "I have been gifted with the opportunity to move into a building close to my parents, who are longtime Oakville residents." Johnson lived and worked in the nancial industry as an IT specialist in Toronto, but her health deteriorated and she couldn't live on her own any longer. Two years ago she needed a wheelchair and was able to move in on Robinson Street. "It's so nice to be able to live with support and care to help me get through my daily activities, so I can be as independent as possible, in a safe environment," Johnson said. For Pam Read, also wheelchairbound, this has been her home for all of its past 20 years. "It's truly a wonderful building, in a wonderful location, with wonderful people," said Read, 56, who has had multiple sclerosis (MS) for the past 30 years. "I was walking when I started living here, but I knew I would one day be in a wheelchair, and I have been for the last 13 years." At last week's 20th anniversary celebration of the Jean and Howard Caine Apartments, part of March of Dimes Canada's Non-Pro t Housing Corporation, tenants Pamela Read, left, and Martha Johnson enjoy some sun in front of the building. | photo by Justin Greaves ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) Read used to work as a civilian employee with Peel Regional Police. "I was very lucky to end up in this building," Read said. "The people who work here and live here are a great testament to the great support we have." The 59-unit apartment was built to provide accessible, affordable and supportive housing for those with physical disabilities. All told, 24 of the units are designed for people with physical needs so they can live safely and independently in their home. The building is named after longtime Oakville residents Jean and Howard Caine, who devoted their lives to promoting equality and opportunity for the disabled. Their daughter, Pamela, a polio survivor, spearheaded the construction of the I truly don't know where I'd be living right now without this place. Martha Johnson apartment for people with physical disabilities long-envisioned by her parents. "There was opposition to this building, which infuriated my sister and my mother," said the Caine's son Michael, president of JOY 1250 and CJMT 1320 radio stations. "One of my mother's biggest passions was integrating the disabled into the community, so this wasn't a hard sell for her. "And my sister, who was on the committee, fought for everything, including the naming of this building... The value of Oakville has gone up because this building is here.... To see how you have integrated into the community is my mother's dream come true." Andria Spindel, president and CEO of the March of Dimes Canada and its Non-Pro t Corporation, said Loblaw's initially owned the land on which the apartment was built. The building of cially opened in March 1995. "A gentleman, who lived across the street, was totally opposed to what we were going to build and he went to Town Hall to ght it," Spindel said. "He ended up becoming one of our volunteer committee members and came over every day and told the contractors what to do." After the original building was demolished, they discovered the soil was polluted, so we had to take it out, Spindel said. "It was a huge extra project." "After all the inspections were passed, we then discovered we didn't have sprinklers installed as required by the Building Code," Spindel said. "Despite the setbacks, the soil contamination, the sprinklers, neighbours who didn't want us, we came in under budget and on time. And we became part of the community." Private donors, such as the Gittings family, have provided much-needed funding over the years for social activities, such as bus trips to Niagara Falls, visits to St. Jacobs market, Lake Ontario cruises, barbecues and Christmas and Halloween parties. Ted and Joyce Gittings, who attended the celebration, established a memorial fund in the name of their late son Greg, who had cerebral palsy and couldn't walk, talk or feed himself. He died in January 2013. Greg was one of the original tenants and became well-known to everyone in the building and many of the businesses along Lakeshore Road. "Greg loved the building and all the people who lived and worked here," Ted said. To celebrate their son's life, the Gittings created the Greg Gittings Better Living Fund to provide a better lifestyle for the disabled in this building, Ted said. "His challenges didn't stop him from playing wheelchair hockey for more than 25 years and earning his Grade 12 high school diploma. He met royalty twice (Prince Andrew and Princess Anne)," he added. Several political dignitaries, including Oakville Mayor Rob Burton and Oakville MP Terence Young, were also at the celebration. "Here in the heart of the town is a building that has been maintained now for three generations by the Caine family," Burton said. Volume 53 | Number 62 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. NEIL OLIVER Vice­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Editorial Department (905) 845-3824 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising (905) 632-4444 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor