Change & Continuity at Loughborough Housing Corporation

Between two buildings that are tucked away on William Street in Sydenham, Meadowbrook and Maple Ridge, there are 55 units of Seniors Housing that are overseen by the Loughborough Housing Corporation: 28 units at market rent, and 27 at rent geared to income rates.

Although the two buildings are 35 and 40 years old, they remain in mint condition. The residents in the two buildings are a community of people who are active and engaged in village life, and make up a major cohort for nearby Southern Frontenac Community Services and the Grace Centre.

Continuity has been a major theme for the Loughborough Community Housing. Sandra Weston was the administrator for the not-for-profit corporation for the first 27 years of its existence, and she was replaced by Neil Orser 14 years ago.

Orser was a member of the board of directors before taking on his administrative role in 2012, but his connection to the housing complex goes all the way back to before it was built.

“I was working as an administrative assistant for Loughborough Township in 1979, when people like John Willis and Wilma Kenny were working with the township on grant applications that eventually led to the first building going up in 1984,” he said, from the common room next to the corporation’s office last week.

Oser left Loughborough and pursued a career in municipal administration in various townships across the province, where he served as clerk, before returning to Sydenham for his first retirement. That retirement was interrupted when he took on the job at Loughborough Housing.

Five years ago, Vickie England, who earlier worked as the South Frontenac Food Bank coordinator, came on as administrative support for Orser, with succession planning when Neil Orser woould eventually retire, already being contemplated.

In a couple of weeks, at the start of 2026, she will be taking on the Chief Administrator role, and a new person is being hired to back fill her position.

“To me, working here is my dream job,” she said, “and Neil and the Board have left everything in such good order that we just need to keep moving forward.

Loughborough Community Housing receives subsidy money directly from the City of Kingston, which is the Consolidated Service Manager for the region, and has been the recipient of federal grants to help with major projects over the past 5 years.

“We have enjoyed a great working relationship with the City of Kingston over the years,” said England.

The corporation retains full control over the management of the property, and maintains a wait list for both the market and rent geared to income stream.