BARRIE - Barrie’s newest church – a 159-year-old Anglican one that joined the city in last month’s annexation – is supporting a project it hopes will make its new neighbourhood a better one.

St. Paul’s Anglican church is doing what it can to promote a project – a 1,900 home plan that includes 750 units by Options for Homes, which assists lower-income families to buy a home – in the Mapleview Drive/Yonge Street area.

The larger concept is to build a dense community near the GO station, as well as one that offers an array of housing, to attract a variety of people.

“The concept is to build community,” said parish priest Rev. Debbie Dennis Palmer.

“We’re providing space and energy. Our people will sit on their board and help get the word out. This project is about justice and about dignity and those are most certainly Christian principles.”

Options for Homes is partnering with Baywood Homes in Mapleview Village.

“As cities become bigger, neighbourhoods become more important,” said Options for Homes president Michel Labbé.

Having built projects in 12 other Canadian cities, including Toronto’s Distillery District and Waterloo’s Brighton Park, Options creates apartment-density housing plans that nevertheless give families backyards and gardens. The organization also assists with down payments and because of efficient, dense design, offers prices that start at $119,000 and rise to just under $200,000.

Throughout the development and building process, Options brings its purchasers together every six weeks to review progress, as well as to meet each other, and begin building good neighbour relationships, Labbé explained.

“Before they move in, they know each other,” he said, which makes the neighbourhood that much more welcoming. “The community’s already formed by the time people move in.”

A formal application has yet to be submitted to the city. Labbé asked for half of his development charges to be deferred for 10 years, to support the affordable, mixed-income blend of families.