Sheguiandah First Nation complete two duplex housing projects
By Rick Garrick
SHEGUIANDAH FIRST NATION — Sheguiandah’s two recently completed four-bedroom duplexes feature entranceway murals with images of four different clans by One KWE modern fabrications owner Kathryn Corbiere.
“They wanted specific clans used, so I just put the four of them together and made this wildlife scenery,” says Corbiere, a M’Chigeeng citizen who started up her metal fabricating business about four years ago in M’Chigeeng. “It’s plasma cut out of sheet metal. They’re in a covered sort of patio area.”
Corbiere says it was “exciting” to be involved with the duplex housing project and to see the buildings take shape.
“It’s nice to see communities use fresh designs in their spaces,” Corbiere says. “This project really brought some unique ideas to life.”
Sheguiandah Chief Andrew Aguonie says the entranceway murals have the same design in each duplex.
“It’s all cut out of steel,” Chief Aguonie says. “It’s pretty nice, pretty fancy.”
The duplexes were built by D and L Contracting and Cement Finishing, a construction company from M’Chigeeng, in the community’s subdivision.
“They’re a bit of an upgrade to what we usually build,” Chief Aguonie says. “They have an island [in the kitchen] and nice furniture — we provided all the appliances. It has stainless steel overhead exhaust fans for the kitchen stoves.”
Chief Aguonie says each of the duplexes has two full washrooms, one on the main floor and one on the lower floor. The duplexes also have propane heating and each tenant was provided with a lawnmower to maintain their lawns.
“[The residents] are really impressed and happy with being selected to occupy these units,” Chief Aguonie says. “We’re deserving of something a little nicer, too. Basically, how we’re looking at it is now in the community there’s four new home fires, so take care of your home fire then your home will take care of you.”
Chief Aguonie says the duplexes were built with about $1 million in federal government funding from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) through Budget 2017 allocations for on-reserve housing. The funding was provided following a review of First Nations’ proposals.
“Congratulations to Sheguiandah First Nation (ON) on completing two duplexes on reserve,” says ISC Minister Marc Miller in a July 15 tweet on Twitter. “The (federal government) is proud to support First Nations in providing safe and healthy homes for families.”
Chief Aguonie says the community now has 60 households with about 200 on-reserve citizens and about 410 citizens in total.
“There are a few who want to move back, but housing is always an issue,” Chief Aguonie says. “We’re trying to revamp our housing program in hopes of people getting nicer homes.”