Settling in at 175 Oak Street

On a Thursday night last November, residents of 175 Oak Street took the elevator up to the eighth floor. As the elevator doors opened, music and joyful chatter began to fill the hallway. Here in the large amenity space, neighbours gathered with Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) staff. This was the official “welcome home” event for the new apartment building. 

175 Oak Street is the last rental building in Phase 3 of the Regent Park revitalization. Residents began moving back in spring 2025. As part of the “return” process, staff work directly with households to help them select a unit that meets their needs. With 72 per cent of the building fully occupied in November, it was the perfect time for the Welcome Home event.

On one side of the eighth floor, residents picked up a housewarming plant from TCHC staff. They also got a Welcome Guide filled with helpful information about the new building. On the other end of the floor, there was delicious food and a chance to get to know neighbours.

Amina Ali, a Regent Park resident, attended the event with her family. Like many other Regent Park residents, Amina relocated during the revitalization. When a building is demolished, TCHC will work one-on-one with households to move them to a new unit. Sometimes residents move to a unit within their community. Other times, this means moving outside of the community if there are no suitable units.  

Amina and her family moved to St. James Town, one of Toronto’s downtown neighbourhoods. While Regent Park transformed, Amina’s family grew through change as well.  

“My daughter went to public school in St. Jamestown - she was in Grade 1. Now, she’s just started Grade 10.”  

Though St. James Town is only a 20-minute transit ride from Regent Park, a move like this can still be a big change. New schools, local spots, and neighbours can create roots and connections. For Amina, though, Regent Park was always home. “I missed my community,” she said. “I missed seeing the people I’d see all the time.”  

Amina stayed in touch with her friends, despite the distance. They encouraged her to help other residents stay connected as a Community Animator. “I was always involved in events that were happening. So, my friends said, ‘Amina, you should apply!’"

When Amina’s family began looking at units to move back, the opportunity to move into 175 Oak Street came up. “We have a beautiful place, good space. We have a big family and in St. James Town we only had one washroom, so there was always a line up with the kids for school.”  

“I’m so happy to be back and see my friends again.”

You could feel this same sense of joy and excitement at the Welcome Home event as residents mingled and got to know staff, like the Revitalization Engagement team, who are familiar faces in the community. This team works to keep people updated on what's happening during their move and the new development. They also work with the Community Animators to spread the word about any events or opportunities.  

There were also some new faces. TCHC's Construction team came out, along with staff from Daniels, our developer partner for Phases 1-3 of the revitalization. Building and community staff for 175 Oak also joined in on the fun, introducing themselves to new residents. This team leads building maintenance and safety, and it's important for residents to know who they are. 

Amina also plans to stay active and encourage more community members to join in. “This is where you’re living. You have to take care of where you live. That’s what I always say.”