Canadian Native Friendship Centre seeks funds for permanent facility
Edmonton’s Canadian Native Friendship Centre is hoping to build their dream space to accommodate larger gatherings for the growing community. But first, board member Terry Lusty said they need the funds and the land to make this dream a reality.
Without their own building since 2010, the gathering place and referral service for Edmonton’s Indigenous community has been bouncing around to different locations, recently settling in a small space at 11728 95 Street.
But the site is too small for larger functions such as round dances or holiday celebrations, Lusty said.
“The community wants it. They’re getting quite restless because there hasn’t been a larger available facility,” he said.
Preliminary plans for the new multimillion-dollar centre call for it to be completed by 2022, but Lusty said they need financial support to get the project off the ground.
“We have to get some dollars in place, we’ve yet to settle on the site,” Lusty explained. “We’re looking at trying to get a building in the interim, something that’s already there ... that’s affordable.”
The centre provides services and programming to roughly 10,000 members run by volunteers. It vacated its prior home in 2010 — now the location of Inner City High School — due to high costs and the need for major repairs.
A meeting Wednesday evening at the Central Lions Recreation Centre will serve as the launch for the new building campaign and offers a chance to share early design ideas and get input from community members.
Grant funding has been received for research and assessments into the project, but Lusty said they are reaching out for corporate and government support. Many community support organizations have their own spaces and have received funding for them, said Lusty, calling on the public to help the friendship centre meet their needs so they can continue providing support.