48 Centre Street, Chatham, Ontario
Bill’s Place serves as the office space for CK Pride, and our community hub where we host supports, programming, & other events. Bill’s Place is named in honour of Bill Brokenshire. A former Chatham resident, when he died in 2018 he left a trust fund to CK Gay Pride Association, recognizing the need to create a safe space for the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Bill’s vision also included the creation of two apartments above the community space, available for members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ at market rates. This income helps to offset the operating costs of the community space.
Visit our Calendar for Drop-In times.
Founding Donors
Bill Brokenshire Trust
Other Sponsors & Donors
CAROLYN COLLINS
CHATHAM PLUMBING
CK POLICE SERVICES
FRAN & RICHARD LUCID
GAYLE MARTIN
GREG SIMPSON
RDOHLA & CARLEANE MONK
RICK BURROWS
RYAN WESTON & DANIEL BOURRE
ST. PAUL’s-VICTORIA AVE UNITED CHURCH
THE RIGHT CONNECTION INC.
UNITED WAY
WENDY KEMPSTER
ZAMORA ANGELINI FAMILY
About Bill Brokenshire
February 14, 1945 – September 18, 2018
Bill was born in Chatham and never lost the southwestern Ontarian aspect of his character. Through his grandmothers and old aunts he became fascinated with the past and began collecting heirlooms, curiosities and antiques. He had rented a farm house surrounded by a veranda on the Raleigh Plain outside Chatham. Bill and his friends enjoyed the music and culture coming from Detroit at the time, but the soundtrack of his life was the music of the 20s to the 40s.
Bill attended Chatham Collegiate Institute and the University of Windsor, obtaining his Teacher’s Certificate in 1968, teaching first in Essex County. Bill moved to Toronto in 1983 and taught at a number of elementary schools there. As a teacher he was forward thinking, calm and unflippable, with a capacity to nurture struggling students. He is also remembered for being creative and pupils are remembered dressing up in costumes, and refinishing furniture in his class.
When Bill moved to Toronto with his partner Ernesto, he co-established the Draper Street Residents Association to preserve the historic Empire houses there. Bill’s home, often known as “Bill’s Place” was a grounding place, centered around his easy manner, sense of humor, and capacity to listen and provide sage advice. Bill’s self-assurance and love of life as a gay man was infectious. He gave others confidence and joy in being gay, helping others realize it wasn’t the impediment the rest of society deemed it to be, but merely an alternate route through life.
(adapted from Frank Marshall’s soft opening speech)
Building Bill's Place
Bill felt strongly that any building purchased must be able to support itself without relying on the intermittent sway of politics and funding. After a two-year search for a location, CK Pride found a Mixed Commercial Zoning building at 48 Centre Street. It was purchased in October 2020, with donated legal services from Deborah Verhey (Verhey Law) and Daniel Whittal (Whittal Law).
The second floor of the building was to be converted into residential apartments, with the rent covering the community space’s operating expenses. These apartments also help to fill the shortage of 2SLGBTQIA+ safer housing in downtown Chatham.
Junctura Group Construction began the processes for renovations in January 2021. Between Covid, building permit delays from the Municipality, and vandalism, renovations were complete by the summer of 2022. Final touches like priming and painting the walls were completed with the help of volunteers and our apartments were rented by November 2022.
Bill's Place Murals
The most prominent feature inside Bill’s Pace are the youth painted murals. The main mural is entitled “Kaleidoscope” by Joshua Huys.
“I view the world through a kaleidoscope. Everything I see is different from how others may view it. I am sometimes bombarded by questions that have led me to believe that I see the world differently and how pride has never been complicated in my eyes. This mural exhibits the celebration of pride and nature as one. The rainbow colors and minor details represent how pride is simple and doesn’t have to be difficult, but instead in unison with our world. Kaleidoscope is a window of how I view the world and I hope that now you can see it.”
CK Pride thanks Joshua, Ms. Mceachran and the incredible students at Ursuline College for sharing their creative talents.
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