McLeod Lake Indian Band (MLIB) will be constructing a new $18-million health and community centre.
MLIB says the Health and Community Wellness Centre will be a nurturing and welcoming place for Tse'Khene culture and traditions, where the future of MLIB and its more than 500 members can thrive.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at Lot 68 Ah’Da Drive on July 15 at 1 p.m. and the building is estimated to open for public use in March 2024.
“We are excited to begin construction on the new Health and Community Wellness Centre this July,” said MLIB Chief, Harley Chingee.
“The new space will allow our community members to come together to celebrate, heal, and support one another while also accessing top-notch health services. Thank you to our partners who have helped to make this possible.”
The building has been a vision and goal of the Tse'Khene people of McLeod Lake for decades. In 2011, it became a top priority in the Strategic Community Plan. The goal of the centre is to create a legacy of community healing and wellness.
“The new McLeod Lake Indian Band community centre will provide more opportunities to share cultural knowledge and experiences,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.
“We will continue to work with Indigenous partners to ensure they have access to modern facilities and services that enhance quality of life and contribute to the overall vibrancy and prosperity of their communities.”
“Greater access to modernized and accessible health and wellness facilities in British Columbia’s northern region is much needed,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Municipal Affairs.
“I am thrilled to see this new centre and look forward to seeing how this space will benefit the community.”
The Health and Community Wellness Centre will offer a larger gymnasium for community gatherings and activities, a community kitchen, private and secure offices for health and social services staff, enhanced technology to allow family members that live outside of McLeod Lake to participate in appointments virtually, and more.
Golden Globe Construction Ltd. has been awarded the contract to complete construction of the project.
Project partners include the First Nations Health Authority and the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). Through the ICIP – Community, Culture and Recreation Program, jointly offered by the governments of Canada and British Columbia, the federal government is contributing over $3 million towards costs eligible under that program.
