2025
REDI Breaks Ground on Hampson House
Medicine Hat, July 7, 2025 – REDI is proud to announce the groundbreaking ceremony for Hampson House, located at 853 – 9 Street SE in Medicine Hat. This new development will provide affordable housing for six individuals living with disabilities, offering a continuum of support levels tailored to their needs.
Features of Hampson House:
• Supported Living: Accommodations for three individuals with 24/7 staff support.
• Independent Living: Three studio apartments with access to staff support next door, allowing residents to live independently while having help readily available.
• Accessibility: Home is designed to be accessible for those with mobility issues.
The design of the house is a collaborative effort between Brost Developments, Lacey Homes, and REDI, focusing on creating an affordable home that meets the needs and desires of both residents and staff.
Hampson House is named in honor of Cathy Hampson, who faced numerous health challenges throughout her life. Cathy lived at Michener Centre in Red Deer before moving to Medicine Hat in 1993, where she was supported by REDI until her passing in 2019. Her family generously donated the proceeds of her estate to REDI, making this project possible. Cathy's life story is a testament to the importance of community living for Albertans with disabilities.
The REDI Board of Directors is thanked for their vision and support of this significant project, which is being built without government funding. The construction is entirely funded by the Hampson family's donation and mortgage financing provided by Servus Credit Union. REDI continues to seek financial donations to support community living projects.
REDI looks forward to having people move into their new homes in early 2026.
Cathy’s Story
Cathy Hampson's journey is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and the importance of community support. Her story is typical of people with disabilities in Alberta during the 20th Century. Cathy’s legacy continues to inspire and drive efforts to create inclusive living environments for all. Cathy was born in 1956 and faced numerous health and developmental issues. When Cathy’s family moved from Red Deer, they made the difficult decision to place her into care at Michener Centre. At the time, most people living with disabilities were sent to live in institutions such as Michener which were run by the Province of Alberta. The environment in Mitchner was starkly different from a typical home. Residents had no personal possessions or private spaces; everything was communal. The official Government of Alberta policy towards people with disabilities was based on the principles of eugenics and until 1972 people in Alberta were routinely involuntarily sterilized. There was little respect or opportunities for people with developmental disabilities during this time.
In the late 1980’s organizations like REDI Enterprises began supporting people to move out of institutions and into community living. The first time someone from REDI met Cathy was in 1993 when she was 37 years old living at Mitchener Center. Although she didn’t speak, she created a lasting impression on those she met. She was dressed neatly in clothing that was too big for her small stature. She had beautiful thick dark hair and dark eyes. Her eyes darted around as she watched the strangers who were there to meet her. As she walked, she would glance over and smile. Cathy was the only person in the large auditorium that had something in her hands. It was a shoelace. As she walked, she was constantly twirling the red shoelace between her fingers. We later learned that she removed the shoelace from a pair of communal runners. The care aids said when they came to help her get dressed for bed there was no way she would let go of that shoelace, so the facility decided it was ok for her to keep it. According to their staff, many other residents tried to get it from her, but she didn’t lay it down even when she slept.
Later that year, Cathy moved into her own home supported by REDI. For the first time in her adult life she had her own bedroom, clothes that fit, and personal belongings. Slowly the shoelace became less important to Cathy. Cathy lived with two roommates who became like family to her. She enjoyed the simple things in life such as listening to Kenny Rogers, taking long baths, snacking on chocolate pudding, and going on walks through the park. One of her favorite places was going to LG Barnes camp. Her world grew filled with moments of laughter, comfort, and love. Even in her last moments, Cathy's preferences were clear. She was particular about the staff who helped her and she preferred eating with her regular staff from the home. The staff, always attuned to her needs, supported her as she had always preferred—familiar faces providing comfort and care. Cathy passed away January 11, 2019, at St. Joseph's nursing home after a courageous battle with cancer. Cathy’s brother contacted REDI and expressed the family’s gratitude for the love and support REDI had provided to Cathy. They felt that the proceeds of Cathy’s estate should go to REDI.
Cathy's journey came to an end, but the mark she left on the hearts of those who knew her would never fade. Her spirit, her love for life, and her resilience will be remembered forever. Her story is one which reflects the experiences of her generation, and it is hoped that Hampson house will help to ensure her story is not forgotten.
Details about the Hampson House
The house will a total of 3,338 square feet and include a 4 bedroom ‘group home’ with three rooms for residents and one staff room. The space will be accessible and include a roll-in shower room. There will also be three studio apartments each with their own kitchen and washroom each studio apartment will be approximately 350 square feet each. The studio apartments will have shared laundry and storage area for tenants.
The design goal was to create a home-like setting in which each person would have privacy and their own space while allowing for staff supports when required. For the studio apartments, the residents will be able to live independently but still have access to staff 24/7 in case of emergency.
Affordability was also a major consideration, and the house maximizes the usage of the lot. Simplicity in design and functional but durable finishings also will help to keep construction costs lower, allowing REDI to rent the units for below market prices. Cost of construction $898,000.
The hope is that this design can be replicated to help address housing affordability, particularly as it impacts people with disabilities.
