This initiative began from a heart to provide stability for people in a time of uncertainty. Those displaced from the 114 Holland Street fire (March 22, 2021) were not the only ones in need of support. During the COVID-19 Pandemic we met dozens of people already facing homelessness and dozens more desperate for community, and a sense of hope. 

Some of the displaced tenants said they would be happy to live in trailers while they looked for more permanent housing. We reached out to Bradford Community Church as a possible location to park a trailer. They said yes, and offered us the use of an office trailer that was already on site. Together, we were able to fully winterize and renovate this trailer for one of the displaced families. The church then purchased a $17,000 fifth wheel seasonal trailer to accommodate another displaced couple. WOW also purchased a 5th wheel trailer that was used to help two other homeless friends while we worked together to find them more permanent housing.  

During this time the cost of housing continued to increase and our community began to feel the impact of an affordable housing shortage. Four men who were living at the Bradford Guest House, suggested trying to winterize a park model trailer into a four season, one bedroom home. Trailer parks had begun to enforce that older trailers needed to be removed, which increased the number of used park model trailers that were for sale. In June of 2021 WOW purchased our first park model trailer for $2,500 and the men got to work! By January 2022 we were able to test the affordability of heating our first, fully converted trailer during a Bradford Ontario winter, and we were thrilled with the results! 

The prototype works.