History of the Shaw House

The Shaw House sat vacant for more that 20 years.  Originally a large lakeshore home, it was taken over by Metropolitan Toronto in the late 1960's and saved from demolition only because it was given over to house the Island Park Superintendent.  Abandoned by Metro in the 1970's, it remained vacant and vandalized, its beautiful lakeshore garden overgrown, and was finally turned over by the Toronto Island Residential Community Stewardship Act 1993 to the Island Trust, who are responsible for the management of the lands and public buildings in the Island Community.  The Island Pioneers took an avid interest in the dilapidated, but still valuable, home and determined to renovate it for seriously needed seniors housing.

The Needs of Island Seniors

Island Seniors account for 19% of Island households.  In most cases they came to the Island stubborn and determined, and remained there through hard times.  But they now face very special challenges:

• most often living alone, and into their 80's;
• isolated especially in long winter months in their single-family homes, up to a 1/2 mile walk to the ferry dock (although friendly neighbours "keep and eye" and do shopping);
• with limited incomes and increasing frailty, trying to maintain and repair their aging cottages, and faced finally with the 1993 legislation requiring mortgages to purchase their leases for $27,000-$35,000.

Island seniors needed alternative housing:

    * with reasonable rents,
    * where they can socialize easily and support one another,
    * allowing them to age-in-place with comfort and care, and
    * be relieved of heavy financial burdens.