Programming at the wellness, treatment and recovery centre could begin as early as January 2022. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

under construction

Tour of future wellness centre shows structure at 50 per cent completion

Jun 1, 2021 | 5:11 PM

The $16.1 million, 20,000 square-foot future wellness centre is 50 per cent complete.

larongeNOW, along with Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Chief Tammy Cook-Searson and health staff, toured the under-construction facility Monday. Once finished, it will include 24 beds for clients, offices for prevention and recovery employees, along with traditional and multi-purpose rooms. The back of the centre will feature a pond with walkways, as well as a building that can be used year-round for sweats.

Constructions was initially supposed to be complete in October, but the end of 2021 is the new deadline.

“We watch from the outside them building this building and when we went inside yesterday, it’s becoming a reality that we’re going to have a wellness healing centre,” said Lillian Sanderson, the Cultural Program Manager for LLRIB Health Services. “The tour we took yesterday and how far they have come…it gave me a lot of hope that it will be a place of healing and it will be a place of wellness.”

award winners

SMVS collects 23 medals at PAGC Fine Arts Festival

Apr 29, 2024

events

Council awards $10,000 in community grants

Apr 29, 2024

Weekend hockey

PAGC set to host largest Senator's Cup tournament to date

Apr 26, 2024

Sanderson explained program development is currently underway to meet the needs of clients that will be served. She noted the facility will be open to all residents of Northern Saskatchewan and services will be available for any religious denomination.

Sanderson talked about the need for resources when it comes to suicide prevention, addictions, as well as to address grief and trauma stemming from residential schools and intergenerational abuse.

“Our hope is that we will have programming that can help people heal those wounds,” she said. “This is a very important, needed facility and we’re very excited that this building is coming up. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done and I’m just so grateful we’re having this opportunity to have such a facility that will move forward the healing the people in the North need.”

Flooring work including the installation of in-floor heating is currently underway. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Many of the interior walls still need to be constructed. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

This space is the future spot of a traditional room. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Offices are under construction for prevention and recovery staff, as well as other employees. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

This space will be used for a multi-purpose room for training, workshops and other events. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Much of the exterior work on the building has been completed. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Cook-Searson mentioned it was an amazing feeling when she stepped into the facility during the tour and to see the progress being made. She’s hopeful programming can begin in January 2022.

Most LLRIB communities outside of La Ronge have already chosen sites for the construction of mini-healing lodges. Those off-the-grid style buildings with no water, sewer or electricity should be done by the end of 2021 as well.

“Our goal is to help people help themselves and to be able to have a safe place where everyone feels welcome regardless of where they come from and who they are,” Cook-Searson said. “We just want to be able to help people in their healing journey and just make our communities safer.”

The LLRIB will soon begin fundraising to furnish the building and Cook-Searson noted corporate sponsorship will be part of it. She didn’t know what the final cost to furnish such a large centre will be, but added businesses and companies have already approached the band asking how they can help.

–

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno