B.C.,Canada and the Daylu Dena Council have partnered to demolish a former residential school and to build a new cultural centre.
The federal government will be investing $11.5 million for the facility, the provincial government is investing $1.5 million, the Daylu Dena Council is contributing $538,960 and an additional $1.3 million is being provided by Indigenous Services Canada to remove hazardous materials and demolish the remaining structure.
According to the province, the new facility will provide recreational, educational and cultural spaces for older youth, elders, the broader community and will also accommodate administrative offices for the Daylu Dena Council.
The province also added the facility will include program rooms, an indoor gym, an industrial kitchen, a garden and other outdoor recreational areas.
This will be replacing the remaining portion of the former Lower Post residential school that served as office space until June 2020.
Federal Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller said community centres are important.
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of many years of work by Daylu Dena Council and federal and provincial partners to promote and support the construction of a new building to accommodate the community’s needs,” he said.
Tahltan Central Government President Chad Norman Day said he feels like the announcement is a Northern accomplishment.
“I’m very proud of everybody that’s contributed to this initiative in a good way. Obviously we’ve had leaders that have been pushing on this for decades and they never gave up,” he said.
Day also added the facility would not be able to happen without leaders’ hard work and sacrifice.
The province is also reminding residential school survivors there is a 24 hour crisis line that can be reached at 1-866-925-4419.