Families First to Expand -- Comments Taken
Directly
from Windsor Star.com
Families First Funeral Home is planning a $3-million expansion in East Windsor
that involves renovating and opening a second branch in the vacant St. Thomas
the Apostle Church at Edgar Street and St. Paul Avenue near Lauzon Road.“This is the next chapter in our adventure,” said Families First owner Brian
Parent, who opened in 1996 and moved to his South Windsor
location in 2005.
“If it creates a few more jobs while we’re waiting for construction of whatever
else may take place in the city, it’s a good aspect that way, we hope it helps
the economy a bit.”
Parent said his Dougall Avenue
funeral home catered to about 150 families from the city’s east end last year,
so it made sense to open a branch in that end of the city.
Parent’s proposal calls for a small expansion of the 14,000-square-foot
Catholic church, which was slated for closure along with five other local
churches by the London Diocese in 2007.It also calls for resurfacing the exterior walls and installing a “peaked roof”
to give the facility more of a “residential feel,” said Parent. The main body
of the church will be converted into the main area for the funeral home’s
visitation rooms.
“The intent was to maintain the integrity of that portion of the church and
have respect for it,” said Parent.“It’s a green reuse of the facility. It’s not being torn down and rebuilt.
We’re going to give it a facelift, but the current structure is going to be
maintained.”
The city’s planning advisory committee recently granted approvals for the
project and council is expected to debate the matter tonight. Should council
greenlight the proposal, renovations could begin this summer.
Ward 5 Coun. Percy Hatfield, a PAC member, is supportive of the project, noting
several funeral homes across the city and county are located in residential
areas.
He said initial concerns expressed by area residents were addressed by Parent
in a public meeting. Indeed, in an unusual twist, more than two dozen area residents signed a
petition supporting the plan.“(Parent) has put together a first class proposal. He did everything right,”
said Hatfield. “It’s something that the community needs and he’s working with
the community to make sure it’s the best deal possible.”
One area property owner, who rents out properties backing onto the church, has
emerged to challenge the proposal.Harris Luchmun said one tenant has told him they will move out if the proposal
goes ahead and that he fears he will have difficulty finding other tenants.
Luchmun also fears the value of his properties will go down because people
don’t want to live near funeral homes.“It would be very depressing every day to look out your window to see funerals
getting ready to go,” wrote Luchmun in a letter to PAC.
“How can they enjoy or invite family over for barbecue when there is funeral
home in their backyard? “It would be very awkward to be having a good time when the people going by are
grieving.”
© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star
Comments from the public - taken from WindsorStar.com
April 28, 2009 - 10:27 AM
The former St. Thomas Church is in Riverside, not "East Windsor". The Star likes to say anything east of about Glengarry is "the east side", or "East Windsor". The former town of Riverside is the area east of Westminister to the town of Tecumseh, form the river to the VIA tracks. Star writers need to learn the neighbourhoods when describing locations.
Riverside Resident
April 27, 2009 - 1:28 PM
Sorry to say - it doesn't matter what Fr Tony would have approved of . The parishioners built it, carefed for it and cried when it closed. He was just the last priest there. Other were before him that cared too.......
GP
April 27, 2009 - 12:34 PM
Congradulations to Families First as it is a great location and should benefit the east end as well as the whole city. A perfect turnover for an expired church and I'm sure it will do very well. I live in the neighborhood and as a senior will ask Brian if he can use a senior as an employee. The best of luck to very enterprising family.
Riverside Resident
April 27, 2009 - 11:59 AM
I just attended a funeral at Families First this weekend and it totally changed my opinions of funeral homes. I have never seen a more tactful and elegant funeral home. They take care of every detail for the family in their most trying moment in their lives. Like Jana said, there were funerals at St. Thomas on a regular basis, so what is the difference. Also think of the spinoff effect. People will be bringing money into our end of the town, most places are conveniently located in the area. I think it is great for our neighbourhood and anyone who doesn't, should move. I have lived in that neighbourhood, made my first communion, got married and my children were baptized and made their first communion at St. Thomas. We were wondering what was going to happen to it when it closed. I think Father Tony would approve.
KM
April 27, 2009 - 11:56 AM
To all you whiners out there, get over yourself, imagine a bar with drunk kids until 4 am and honking horns, fights, loud music, and cops everywhere. Be glad it's only a funeral home and not something worse. SMARTEN UP.
SALLY
April 27, 2009 - 11:43 AM
Families First is an amazing company that really helps with all your arrangements and make your troubled time so much easier! They were amazing during the loss of my grandmother and I think the East end should be honoured to have them investing. We will all die, maybe making the arrangements a little closer might end up easier on some of the ones coming out to show their respect. Plus they are expanding, and making work for the locals...should be embraced, not knocked down!
great idea
April 27, 2009 - 11:34 AM
Too bad this same idea couldn't be done with Our Lady of the Rosary church!!
Anne
April 27, 2009 - 11:07 AM
I feel so bad for the neighbors. I don't blame them for being upset . How depressing to have to be around death 24 hrs a day. Good Luck to all of them.
Jimmy the Greek
April 27, 2009 - 11:05 AM
People will be dieing to get in!
St.Paul RESIDENT
April 27, 2009 - 11:03 AM
To please get over it...we need a funeral home on the east side of Windsor. I think this is a great location. Funerals happen everyday why does it matter where there at.
Dave
April 27, 2009 - 10:57 AM
Kudos to Brian & Mary-Lynn Parent for their courage and vision in this economy. Not only is he expanding in the face of a recession but he is expanding responsibly, adapting and reusing an existing structure, thereby decreasing the environmental impact of the venture. Well done!
April 27, 2009 - 10:16 AM
I think will be a good idea and I' sure will be well maintained . Will create
more jobs, and really if you think about it what will be the difference between
having a funeral in the church (like was before) and a funeral home. I am
strongly support the proposal.
Thank you Jana G.
Charly
April 27, 2009 - 9:41 AM
This is a small jolt of economic infusion that this city needs desperately. For
those complaining because it may disrupt a bar-bq, keep in mind that most
funerals take place in the early part of the day. Attitudes like this will only
serve to keep the city in this economic abyss. With an attitude like that it
would appear you may become one of their first clients. Lighten up....really!
