Butterflies, Boxes and Belonging
544 Bridgeport Rd. East might look like any other modern development at first glance, but those who step inside quickly learn it’s much more than bricks and mortar. Completed in 2021, this innovative affordable housing, community hub, and sanctuary space was built in partnership with Beyond Housing, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and Parents for Community Living (PCL). The building is a model of community-centred design, featuring 48 affordable housing units—ten of which are for adults with developmental disabilities who live in their own apartments and lead self-directed lives with individualized support from PCL staff.
Outside, the spirit of community continues to flourish. What began as five shared garden boxes has grown into thirteen, along with the beginning of a beautiful butterfly garden. The City of Kitchener’s “Love My Hood Matching Grant” made the latest additions possible, which supports new resident-led initiatives across the city. The grant was submitted by a tenant who wanted to create a place to bring people together.
On May 10, a group of 15 tenants came together to build the butterfly garden, strategically placed in a high-traffic area to bring beauty and a sense of calm to the community. Everyone contributed in their own way—breaking down cardboard, digging, layering, planting, or simply offering encouragement.
The garden was built using the lasagna gardening method—a sustainable, no-dig technique that layers compost, leaves, and cardboard to create rich, fertile soil while staying eco-friendly and accessible.
Thoughtfully designed to support local butterfly populations, the garden includes essential features such as food sources, shelter, and basking sites. Careful plant selection, a puddling station, and the addition of rocks for shelter all help create a welcoming habitat. Shaped like a butterfly, the design is visible from above and serves as a living sculpture. Tenants take turns watering, weeding, and maintaining the butterfly garden—and several people supported by PCL eagerly signed up to take shifts.
The thirteen garden boxes are shared among tenants who use the space to grow vegetables, herbs, berries, and flowers. Parents for Community Living takes great pride in the box they manage, using the vegetables and herbs in their cooking and skill development classes.
The gardens at 544 Bridgeport offer common ground in a world that often feels divided. They spark conversation, foster friendships, and cultivate a deep sense of belonging. Here, community isn’t just an idea—it’s something you can see, touch, and grow. The roots run deep—not just in the soil, but in the relationships that bloom through shared effort, mutual respect, and the belief that everyone deserves beauty, belonging, and a place to grow.
