Image Credit: CFJC Today / Chad Klassen

By Jill Sperling

HOUSING INITIATIVE

Groundbreaking ceremony held for elders and youth co-housing project

May 23, 2019 | 3:47 PM

KAMLOOPS — Community members, local dignitaries, and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing were among those who gathered at a vacant lot in Brocklehurst Thursday morning to celebrate a unique housing initiative.

Affordable rental housing is being developed by Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Family and Community Services Society at 975 Singh Street.

The building will bring elders and youth aging out of foster care together to learn from each other.

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Calling it an innovating and exciting project, Housing Minister Selina Robinson praised Lii Michif Otipemisiwak for taking the lead on the new housing initiative called ‘Kikékyelc: A Place of Belonging.’

“What’s really exciting about this particular project is that the community determined what its needs were and so LMO coming together saying, ‘we need a place for our young people to be safe and secure and not just to live life but to thrive’ and recognizing that elders have a role and that while we might think it’s innovative it’s actually what I’d say is maybe oldschool,” Robinson said.

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Chad Klassen

The 31-unit building will house four to six elders and the remaining units will be occupied by First Nations, Inuit, and Metis youth between the ages of 16 and 27.

“For people that may not have grown up in a good home and they might not know how to have a normal functioning lifestyle, having those elders there might be able to help mitigate some of the problems that you might have with your neighbours,” said 23-year-old Cody Lucas-Dumas.

Lucas-Dumas was only 16 years old when he began living independently. He now serves on LMO’s Youth Advisory Committee.

“Basically with projects like this they want to just come and see what our input is on things, people who have just more recently been through some of the things that this is focused on,” he said. “I feel like just their support and their recognition and care about what we have to say is really important and I think it will help in the long-run.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Chad Klassen

While the event was celebratory in nature, LMO’s ultimate goal is to see fewer children and youth require the services of the child welfare system in the first place.

“Through our work we are continually trying to support families, care for their children, and if not someone within their extended family,” said LMO Executive Director Colleen Lucier. “But, for those youth, for whatever reasons aren’t with their natural families Kikékyelc: A Place of Belonging will provide a culturally safe and supported alternative.”

Construction on the co-housing project will begin as soon as the building license has been provided by the City, and the work is anticipated to take about a year to complete.