Gathering Place unveils long-awaited expansion into historic convent

Dozens of politicians, donors and community members helped unveil the Gathering Place's new expansion project into the Sisters of Mercy Convent building Tuesday morning.

The project, which was years in the making, has transformed the nearly 200-year-old convent on Military Road into a new emergency shelter, as well as 52 transitional and supportive housing units for the Gathering Place.

The expansion, called the Mercy House, can sleep and house just over 90 people, up from 30 at the Gathering Place's former emergency shelter.

Thanking the Sisters

The Gathering Place was established by the Sisters of Mercy Convent in 1994, and it opened its temporary emergency shelter in 2020.

Around that time, the two remaining sisters who lived in the convent next to the Gathering Place's main space left the building, and gifted it to the Gathering Place to help house others.

Paul Davis, the Gathering Place's executive director, says the project wouldn't have happened without an initial $2 million donation from longtime businessman Patrick O'Callaghan and his wife, Paula Boucher.

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For some people, they can call Mercy House operated by The Gathering Place home. The units, which include some private accommodations, combined with medical and mental health supports are all in an effort to help break the cycle of homelessness. The CBCs Jessica Singer was there for the official reveal.

Premier Andrew Furey said at Tuesday's announcement that the couple reached out to the provincial government for support, resulting in an additional $2 million in provincial funding for the project.

He said the government also helped secure $5.9 million in federal funding to help the expansion project.

At Tuesday's announcement, Davis made the call for more funding to help support the Gathering Place's services, which include laundry facilities, three hot meals served every day, and dental and medical clinics.

The organization launched its annual fall and winter fundraising campaign on Monday.

A full house

Furey, St. John's East MP Joanne Thompson, and Lt.-Gov. Joan Marie Aylward were just some of the politicians attending Tuesday's announcement.

Furey says his mother, his children and himself all volunteer at the Gathering Place.

The Sisters of Mercy have fed people in need from the convent's kitchen, says Furey, and the Gathering Place was born out of that work 30 years ago.

"It is a testament to the sisters that this prime piece of real estate has stayed true to how it began and how it should be a sanctuary a sanctuary that will continue to serve others," said Furey.

Thompson was a former executive director of the Gathering Place. Before the expansion, she says the Gathering Place had some "missing open doors," as there weren't supportive housing units within the facility that could help guests transition out of the shelter system.

She says the new units and other wraparound supports can help people "achieve their highest form of being," a phrase she says she learned from sisters with the convent.

"I still fall back to your wisdom in the work that I'm doing in Ottawa," said Thompson about the Presentation Sisters and Sisters of Mercy.

"You truly are leaders in this community and your wisdom is transformative."

The new emergency shelter opened Oct. 30 and the Gathering Place says the transitional and supportive housing units will be phased in over time.

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