Roots Farm & Retreat is transforming the ground floor of our community workshop into a safe, welcoming, year-round space for creativity, learning and connection. The space is already actively used as an Art Hive and for community workshops. Roots has self-funded insulation and heating, and community members have donated art supplies to help bring the space to life.
This project will address the remaining ground-floor improvements, including replacing two windows, levelling the cracked concrete floor, and creating a small washroom beneath the stairs. These improvements will make the space safer, more comfortable and better suited to year-round programming.
Once completed, the workshop will continue to host arts and community programming while also creating space for new bilingual learning opportunities, including entrepreneurship training and mentorship for Francophone newcomers. Roots is exploring this programming alongside Cornwall's Communauté francophone accueillante initiative, whose representatives have already visited the farm and toured the workshop.
This funding request focuses specifically on the ground floor and the improvements needed to bring this community space into fuller use.
The workshop is already being used for Art Hive sessions, creative workshops and community programming, but several practical limitations restrict how safely, comfortably and consistently the space can be used.
The cracked and uneven concrete floor creates a safety concern for participants, chairs and activity tables. The existing windows are drafty and inefficient, making it difficult to keep the room warm and comfortable during colder months and limiting the space's potential for year-round programming. Replacing them will improve insulation, natural light and ventilation, helping turn what is currently a more seasonal space into one that can support programming throughout the year. Adding a small on-site washroom will allow participants to remain in the building during longer workshops and programs, which is particularly important for older adults, people with mobility needs, and others who benefit from easier access to facilities.
These barriers affect the populations who rely on this space most. Rural seniors and newcomers, including francophone newcomers connected through Cornwall's Communauté francophone accueillante (CFA) initiative, often have fewer accessible, consistent gathering spaces close to home. A safe, warm, four-season Art Hive gives both groups somewhere to return to regularly rather than relying on one-off events.
Together, these improvements will allow Roots to increase the frequency and seasonality of programming and make fuller use of a space that is already serving the community. Completion will support more arts, wellness, bilingual learning, newcomer, and seniors' programming throughout the year, while allowing participants to use the space more safely and comfortably for longer periods.
The renovation will therefore do more than improve the building itself: it will expand when and how often the workshop can be used and increase Roots' capacity to serve vulnerable and underserved rural populations year-round.
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Roots Farm and Retreat is a special place to escape and just be. The stalwarts of the land bring safety, connection and a authentic sense of community. 🍃
I attended one healing Art workshop at Roots and it was a life changing experience. This hidden gem 50 mins from Ottawa bring the community together through art
Had a fulfilling experience and learnt a lot in the short time spent at the farm….staff are great….hope to come back and do another workshop in the future.
I love the space that roots farm & retreat has created, and their commitment to serving their community and acting as a creative hub. They really deserve this!