June Sleath, Barbara Churchill, Jean Douglas and Freda Churchill engage in rope skipping, while Joan Richardson looks on from a Johnson Avenue doorstep.

Wartime Houses were originally rental units.  According to a story that appeared in the St.Catharines Standard on Saturday October 18, 1941, the rental rates were “$22 per month for five rooms, including bath, and $25 for a slightly larger five-room house, and $30 for a 1 1/2 storey, seven room house.”   In addition to the rent, tenants paid for water and light services. Taxes were paid by Wartime Housing Ltd.

These homes were considered by many to be state of the art and included window blinds and a large coal or wood burning stove for heating the entire house.

The lots were also something to be appreciated.  At the time the average city lot was only 35 feet wide, the wartime house lots averaged 40 feet and 100 feet deep.  The streets were also wider than the average city street with unsightly electric service poles erected at the back of the homes.

Munitions and veterans would have to wait until the early 50′s to purchase their homes.  The sale price of the homes varied ranging from $2500.00 to $4500.00.

Photo Credit – St. Catharines Museum  – Standard Photo Collection – S1941-36-6-1