A Lethbridge-area family is garnering community support as they struggle to hold onto property they want to use to help employ people with disabilities.
Suzie Irwin had owned a successful greenhouse in Barons, Alta., several years ago, at which time her family decided to move to a different location.
“Because it was way out in Barons and we wanted to move closer to Lethbridge, the whole idea was to move it from Barons and put it out at our Park Lake acreage,” she explained.
While the idea was promising at first, starting out as “Suzie’s Greenhouse”, financial trouble came after they say their contractor declared bankruptcy, taking their hard-earned money down with them.
“We decided to just close it and work like mad to hold onto the property,” Irwin said. “So for the last 15 years, securing two jobs and working your butt off to hold onto it.”
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The greenhouse currently sits abandoned near Park Lake.
Courtesy: Karlie Puchala
A couple of years ago, Irwin was injured on the job, losing a significant chunk of the necessary earnings to keep the property.
The main goal for the greenhouse, according to the Irwin family, is to provide a safe place of employment for people with various disabilities.
Ethan Irwin, Suzie’s son, has dealt with the struggle of finding employment as someone with Autism.
He recently expressed interest in reopening the greenhouse to help others like himself.
The greenhouse currently sits abandoned near Park Lake.
Courtesy: Karlie Puchala
“I’ve been there,” Ethan said. “I’ve been through all the road blocks at this point. I’ve been fired, I’ve quit, et cetera,” he said. “To me, right now, I just view (the greenhouse) as my last shot.”
Karlie Puchala, project manager and family friend, has set up a GoFundMe page to help with a new mortgage in order to keep the property.
By Sunday afternoon, it had raised around $1,800 of its $350,000 goal.
“We’ve received numerous support from the community, and this is our last shot at this, to save this property for these kids and a chance to, you know, build further on this community for individuals with varying disabilities,” Puchala said.
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The greenhouse currently sits abandoned near Park Lake.
Courtesy: Karlie Puchala
In 2018, the family opened up New Hope YQL Floral & Botanical. In November 2020, they expanded it to include a coffee shop — Petals, Paws, and Beans.
The shops were also meant to employ those with disabilities, with New Hope Greenhouse being the third location, to provide a slower-paced work environment.
“Now that we had these two businesses running well, our focus now (is) the greenhouses,” Suzie Irwin said. “Just to be able to go somewhere where you are not excluded or you are not judge by who you are, who you really are.”
According to the Irwins, they have until April 27, 2021 to provide a deposit for to secure a new mortgage on the property.