Years of dreaming, planning and lobbying for an expanded facility to serve the needs of Ottawa’s large and growing Aboriginal populations became a reality with an announcement on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 by federal and provincial officials.
In the words of Wabano's Executive Director, Allison Fisher, 'On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and the more than 30,000 Aboriginal people that call Ottawa home – I wish to thank the government of Canada and the government of Ontario for the opportunity to create a "new beginning" for Aboriginal people in this city – a "new beginning" based on a shared action – working together to build a powerfully expressive space that will embody the heart, unique identity and strength of Canada's citizens and its Aboriginal peoples.'
This new building expansion project is a powerfully expressive space that will adjoin Wabano’s existing building. It will include a cultural gathering space, afterschool programs for children, social enterprise activities for young mothers, family counselling, and social and community development initiatives designed by the renowned Aboriginal architect Douglas Cardinal.
Construction on the Wabano Mamawi Centre is set to start in March 2010.
Click here to read the Ottawa Citizen article.
Click here to visit the Douglas Cardinal website.
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