An Indigenous Tragically Hip tribute band will be headlining a concert Wednesday that aims to raise funds to build more accessible housing on the Oneida Nation of the Thames.
The concert is the marquee fundraising event for the ‘Imagine Build’ campaign, a grassroots program to build accessible homes for families in need in the Indigenous community southwest of London. Campaign organizers and the Gord Downie-Chanie Wenjack Fund, which supports Indigenous causes, have teamed up to put on the 'Imagine a Night' concert at Centennial Hall.
The show will feature stories and music including a performance by The Poets, a Hip tribute band from Moose Factory and Moosonee in Northern Ontario. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the concert slated to start at 7 p.m.
The benefit concert comes as the Imagine Build campaign has reached the halfway point to achieving its goal of building four accessible homes. More than $900,000 has been raised through community fundraising events and philanthropy.
“I feel great right now for the accessible homes that are coming to Oneida Nation of the Thames as we’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Oneida Chief Todd Cornelius. “To see the partnership and people come together, it’s a really awesome feeling.”
One of the recipients of the new accessible homes is Oneida resident Ray John Jr. and his family.
"Accessible housing, we don’t have it,” he said. “People that make their homes now, they don’t think of the future. They don’t think about widening the doors, they don’t think about one-levels. They don’t think about things like that.”
Ray John Jr. added that he remains in disbelief that him and his family will soon be moving into a "forever home".
"What I told a lot of folks is that I won’t know until somebody hands me the keys,” he said.
With two of the four new accessible homes nearly completed, work on the third will happen during a three-day building blitz planned for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. St. Thomas-based builder Doug Tarry Homes will be leading the build with a crew of dozens of skilled tradespeople who will work around the clock.
"My goal is to show respectful support for the greater Oneida Nation of the Thames community, while at the same time bringing the best of the best together to create something really magical,” said Tarry.
Tickets for the ‘Imagine a Night’ performance are available through the Centennial Hall website.
