M'Wikwedong moves into new digs

While it’s still unclear when the doors can open to the public, the M’Wikwedong Native Cultural Resource Centre has officially relocated to its new home near Owen Sound’s downtown core.

Executive director Renee Abram said the move marks an exciting time for the organization, which provides programming and services for the local urban Aboriginal population, even though its new facility in the former Dufferin Elementary School remains closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been a long process, but we’re very excited. The staff is very excited to get settled in the new place,” she said Friday in an interview.

“We were pretty much on top of each other in our previous location and it was always a struggle trying to co-ordinate who was going to have a program in what space. It did limit what we could offer. So now we’re looking at being able to expand the programs that we can offer as well and the outdoor space is also a great benefit.”

For now, all of the centre’s programs can be accessed online, she said, and the personal support offered by staff remains available via telephone and email.

Abram said the organization is hoping to have an official opening celebration this fall.

“We’ll have to have some time for everybody to settle in. Right now, staff is just going in and unpacking their offices only on a schedule so we don’t have too many people in the building at one time,” she said.

“So it’s going to take a while for everything to get set up and we, of course, want it looking how we envision it to look. So we’re hoping to definitely have an open house for the community as well as key partners for the project once we are able to.”

M’Wikwedong first opened its doors in June 2001 after receiving the former daycare and church building at 1723 8th Ave. E., near Duncan McLellan Park, as a donation in 2000. The organization incorporated in August 2001.

The centre was established to address the “social, spiritual, mental and physical needs” of the urban Aboriginal population of the Owen Sound area by providing a “safe environment for the Aboriginal peoples to participate in their community and to break down the cultural and systemic service barriers between local Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations.”

Abram said the organization outgrew its previous space as the number of programs and services increased. Larger events had to be held off-site, as gatherings of more than 30 people weren’t really possible in the former space, she said.

Initially, upon receiving capital funding from the Ministry of Education’s EarlyON program, M’Wikwedong looked into renovating its former building to meet its needs.

“It was going to take a lot more to make our previous building work for us. Then the Dufferin school came up as a surplus school, so we started to shift our focus there,” she said.

M’Wikwedong purchased the school property at 1045 3rd Ave. W., which the Bluewater District School Board had closed and declared surplus following an accommodation review process, for $560,000.

The organization has spent about $600,000 on renovations. The work has been covered by the EarlyON grant as well as funding from the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres and the organization’s own fundraising and reserve funds.

Upgrades have included installing a kitchen, converting some classrooms into offices, adding washrooms and upgrading mechanical and other systems.

Abram said there’s about a week’s worth of renovations still to go, such as some painting and floor refinishing work. The organization will then apply for an occupancy permit.

She said the new building is much larger, so events will no longer have to be held at other locations.

Its main floor is also more accessible than the former site and the organization is planning to fundraise to buy and install an elevator to make the second storey accessible as well.

The new building is also closer to the city’s downtown and is near bus routes, which will make it easier for people to get to the centre.

Abram said the organization has sold its former location to a local developer.

“Depending on how long this social distancing is going on, he is allowing us to perhaps go back and do a closing ceremony at some time if we’re allowed to gather again,” she said. “So we’re hoping to do that because we didn’t really get to have a good closing to that building. It has been the only home for M’Wikwedong since it started.”

Twenty-three people now work for the centre, which normally sees at least 200 people access its programs and workshops each week.

There’s an EarlyON child and family program, which offers activities for children aged zero to six and their parents or caregivers. Traditional Aboriginal teachings are incorporated into the program.

M’Wikwedong also delivers an Akwe:go after-school program, designed for urban Aboriginal children between ages seven and 12, and a Wasa-Nabin youth program for “at-risk” urban Aboriginal young people aged 13 to 18.

It also delivers cultural programming and workshops, including leather and beading and drum circles, along with employment and training services, a prenatal nutrition program, Indigenous children’s wellness program, lifelong care program and other services and events.

Abram said the organization has big plans for its new facility, such as expanding its programming and events.

There are plans to add a sacred fire space, gazebo and gardens on the former school’s property.

A drumming circle at M’Wikwedong’s former location. SUPPLIED

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