NEWS
Your Community Newspaper
Wabano centre prepares to reopen doors Expansion of Aboriginal health facility to provide cultural, youth, training centres Michelle Nash michelle.nash@metroland.com
EMC news - As the final few tiles of an intricate star blanket design are installed on the floor of the cultural gathering space, work on the new wing of the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health draws to a close. Once completed, the 2,322square-metre expansion will be open for business as Canada’s first national centre of excellence in Aboriginal health. First announced in October 2010, work on the expansion got underway in May 2011. The new space includes the cultural gathering space, which is large enough to accommodate 500 people, new clinics, a maternal wellness centre, youth programming and two social enterprise training centres. As the work nears completion, spokeswoman Carlie Chase said excitement is building at the Wabano Centre. “There were tears the first time I saw it,� Chase said. “I am just now capable of not being emotional. To think this vision is actually coming to fruition is amazing.� Chase proudly showed off the new building as well as
some of the changes taking place to the older, existing building. “There were a lot of big milestones to get to this point where we are moving in and setting up,� Chase said. “But for me, I think the tiles really are the one thing with the most impact. It shows off our culture, but has a contemporary feel.� Designed by Ottawa architect Douglas Cardinal, the new building is situated at the corner of Montreal Road and Bradley Avenue in Vanier, and features the same sandstone exterior used at Cardinal’s other well-know capital region design: the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. Once complete, the front of the building will feature glass which is meant to look as though water is circling the building -- and with wall to wall windows, the space offers a unique view of Vanier below. Chase credits the support from the Vanier community for making everything from the beautifully textured bathroom tiles to the large, expansive rooms planned for community use possible. “Really, it’s the community who helped us make this happen,� Chase said.
Your Community Newspaper
MICHELLE NASH/METROLAND
The Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health is nearly complete. The centre aims to open its doors to the community at the end of March. The $14.2-million expansion will offer health and community services. The federal and provincial governments contributed $2.3 million each to the project, while the Wabano Centre needed to raise
the remaining $9.6 million. The star blanket tile design, where individual tiles were sold for $200 each, was part of the fundraising campaign. As a way of thanking the community for rallying to its
cause, Wabano will open its doors to Vanier at the end of March for its cultural symposium. The official opening will take place in May, two years from the time shovels first
went in the ground. The centre has been serving the community for 12 years and sees 10,000 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people come through its doors every year.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
R0011941023.0228
PLUMBING
ROOFING
1206.R0011766511
PAINTING
Plumbing Issues? West: ROB 613-762-5577 East: CHRIS 613-276-2848
Call DS Plumbing Now!
Roof Top Snow Removal
R0011291147/0315
*/5&3*03 &95&3*03 t :ST &91&3*&/$& t 26"-*5: 803,."/4)*1 :3 (6"3"/5&& t 0/ 5*.& 0/ #6%(&5 t 45*11-& 3&1"*34 t "*3-&44 413":*/( s &REE 7RITTEN %STIMATES s .O #HARGE FOR -INOR 0REPARATION s &REE 5PGRADE TO @,IFEMASTER 4OP ,INE 0AINT
www.axcellpainting.com
7dd` Dc"A^cZ
R0011734044 1115
Also available Trailer Rentals for Garbage Removal
613-596-4349 www.dsplumbing.ca
REACH UP TO 279,000 HOMES EVERY WEEK CALL SHARON AT 613-688-1483 or email srussell@thenewsemc.ca CALL KEVIN AT 613-688-1672 or email kevin.cameron@metroland.com
Fax: 613-723-1862
28 Ottawa West EMC - Thursday, February 28, 2013