TheStar.com - GTA - Housing project gets $5M - YWCA Toronto

a press release.As a child of the Depression, Irma hadcompassion for those less fortunate, as she sawher mother giving food to the poor who wouldcome to their family home.During their lives, Ken Thomson and AudreyCampbell wanted "to do something to honourtheir sister Irma Brydson," McGregor said.They had discussed the matter with SherryBrydson"Sherry is a friend of the YWCA," McGregor said."She was aware of our project and she broughtthe project forward to the family."Not only was Irma Brydson born "a stone'sthrow away," from the site, but the ElmwoodSpa, which Sherry began, was originally built bythe YWCA in 1890, McGregor said."Sherry has always been supportive to theYWCA ... she has been a pioneer in the Elm St.business community."The main, 17-storey tower at 87 Elm St. – to benamed Irma Brydson Place – will have 300 unitsof affordable and supportive housing. Thecomplex, to be known as the YWCA Elm Centre,will occupy a city block bordered by Elm,Elizabeth, Edward and Chestnut Sts., a blocknorth of Dundas St., between Bay St. andUniversity Ave.The site is slated to include three buildings with150 affordable units for women and women withchildren; 100 units for women "with seriousmental health issues," and 50 units foraboriginal families.Construction is estimated to take two years,McGregor said.The YWCA will partner with Wigwamen Inc.,2009 The YWCAreceives a recordbreaking$5 milliongift from the estatesof the late KenThomson and Audrey(Thomson) Campbellin memory of theirsister Irma Brydson. A17-storey tower onToronto's Elm St. willbe named IrmaBrydson Place.2004 Ken Thomsonand Audrey Campbelldonate $250,000 toNorth Bay GeneralHospital Foundation inrecognition of IrmaBrydson. Their father,Roy Thomson, starteda newspaper companyin Northern Ontario inthe 1930s that grew tobe one of the largestnewspaper businessesin the world.2004 AudreyCampbell anddaughters donate $25million to the Institutefor Breast CancerResearch at Toronto'sPrincess MargaretHospital. It is namedthe Campbell FamilyInstitute for BreastCancer Research.Compiled by Kathleen

which helps develop affordable housing for theaboriginal community, and the Jean TweedCentre, which works with women's addictions.Power, Star library.Sources: North BayGeneral Hospital, Starfiles