Belmont House

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = "Belmont House"
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type =
founded_date = 1852
founder =
location = 55 Belmont Street
origins =
key_people =
area_served = Greater Toronto Area
focus = Seniors
method =
revenue =
endowment =
num_volunteers = 175
num_employees = 175
num_members =
owner =
Non-profit_slogan = The Seniors Home of Choice
homepage = http://www.belmonthouse.com/
dissolved =
footnotes =

Belmont House is a charitable, non-profit, Christian home for seniors that offering long term care, retirement living and apartments in Downtown Toronto.

History

In the year 1852, there were no facilities in Toronto to meet the needs of women released from prison. So the church women rented a house on downtown Richmond Street, in what turned out to be the first step in the development of a private, charitable institution for the care of the elderly. By 1860, more space was required. So a larger house was rented on the site of the present Belmont House. In 1873, a new house was built and named the Magdalen Asylum and Industrial House of Refuge.

By 1883, an increase in the numbers of homeless women made it necessary to set aside a part of the House of Refuge for the permanent care of aged women. Eight years later, a fortunate legacy made possible construction of a second building, freeing up room in the House of Refuge for elderly men. But by 1890, both houses were so crowded that another expansion was needed. Belmont House, an aged women's home, was opened.

As the city grew, other facilities began to take over some of the social needs of the community. The government established training schools, and the House of Refuge was closed. Major changes came in 1940, with three changes of name for the Belmont group of homes. The original home (built in 1873) was renamed “Ewart House”, a home for aged women. The Aged Women’s Home (1891), which subsequently had become a home for elderly men, was renamed “Tweedsmuir House”. Including Belmont House, the total capacity was now 250 residents, men and women ranging in age from 65 to 90 plus.

Towards the end of 1966, Toronto newspapers announced a new era for "the three old grey buildings on Belmont Street known as the Belmont Home". They were to be demolished and replaced by a large, modern brick and concrete structure overlooking McMurrich and McAlpine Streets, fronting on Belmont and Davenport. Built around a courtyard, with spacious lawns, it would house up to 250 residents, boast modern amenities hitherto unavailable, and be known as Belmont House.