Caldwell First Nation Breaks Ground To Rebuild Lost Community

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Nation members, Municipal Leaders and Construction Leaders participating in ceremonies prior to groundbreaking

The Caldwell First Nation have broken ground to rebuild their lost community, after centuries of displacement from the lands the once they called home and a long battle to reclaim land to create a new community.

The territory will provide long-term residences for the descendants of the band who were forcibly removed from the sustainable livelihood they had achieved for centuries in the region and on Point Pelee and Pelee Island.

Single-family homes, fourplexes and duplexes along with natural areas for ceremonial gatherings, have been preserved. This homeland, near Seacliff Drive in Leamington, is the first of its kind in Southwestern Ontario, with the Caldwell members themselves planning and designing the community in collaboration with Baird AE.

The Caldwell First Nation is also planning for an administration/multi-use complex, commercial properties, and ceremonial space.

Over the last twelve months, the Chief and Council have worked closely with the project team, ISC, Essex Power, and the municipality of Leamington to plan for roads, electricity, water, wastewater, communications systems and landscaping.

The contract for the infrastructure was recently awarded to J & J Lepera. Construction began this week and is expected to be completed this Fall.

28 Passivhaus designed energy efficient residential units will be built first for single parents and senior citizens by Quantum Passivhaus. Equipment ordering and prefabrication of the housing components is underway, with site construction of the homes scheduled to commence in late Summer 2023 and be complete by Spring 2024.