The Key Resource Centre seems to be enjoying some success.
The centre opened only months ago and is located next to the Integris, sharing adjoining building space with the credit union.
Serving between 30 and 50 people per day on average when they are open, the centre has been providing a space for conversation, a connection to resources and offered workshops to the community.
“We’ve well exceeded our statistics on what we thought we’d have,” said Ann McCormick, CNC Fort St. James campus supervisor. In their funding application, the estimate for usage had been 20 visitors a day.
Guy Prince is one of the front line workers in The Key who works with the clients doing workshops on things from wellness and self care to crafts and Carrier language.
“I’ve seen a lot of enlightenment,” said Prince.
He said he feels like the centre has begun to establish an awareness with the community of showing respect to each other.
“It’s a good opportunity to communicate,” said Prince, and the workers are slowly building relationships as a way of “ensuring that the people that do come through here have trust, have trust in us.”
He has also been impressed with the number of natural artists he has worked with in the centre.
This year The Key participated in the local campus of the College of New Caledonia pumpkin carving contest, and some of the creations were pretty amazing, he said.
While neighbouring businesses have not necessarily noticed a significant different in the amount of loitering, there have been some improvements in behaviour, and Mayor Rob Macdougall said he has taken note.
“I know indirectly Integris and The Key are engaging people downtown,” said MacDougall. He said things like getting people picking up garbage and shovelling sidewalks is creating a sense of ownership and pride in the area.
Kathie Kealy, who does most of the administration for The Key did survey the local businesses and said the trend so far is to improvement in the downtown core.
“It’s really gratifying,” she said, and noted some improvements are less anti-social behaviour and less garbage.
She particularly said having things like puzzles, crafts and the elder story time have really helped created opportunities for dialogue and building relationships. So far, workshops on average have between six and 16 people in attendance, but some attract even more.
Elders come in on Fridays between 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. for storytelling, attracting around 15 people each time.
Kealy said the centre is slowly establishing a link to resources and a place for people to talk.
“People are kind of realizing, if you’re not healthy, this is not the place you should be,” said Kealy.
She said the centre has also established a good relationship with the RCMP, who stop in regularly and help out if there are any issues or concerns.
Staff Sergeant Paul Thalhofer mentioned The Key as being a step in the right direction in his recent quarterly report to mayor and council. This and increased foot patrols in downtown have helped to decrease some of the issues around open drinking in the downtown, he said.
While there may not be a big difference in the amount of loitering in front of Integris, Branch Manager Joan Burdeniuk said she’s noticed other changes.
“I’m seeing very positive interactions going on and opportunities for people,” she said. “They’ve been trying to integrate a good neighbour policy and that’s been really nice.”
She said the centre is a good first step for the community but it will take time to realize it’s full potential and it will take buy-in from the entire community.
“I think we need everybody to be comfortable with it and become familiar with it and the resources that are available,” she said. Burdeniuk has been going over to the centre herself to offer financial literacy courses and has been to elder story time.
Open so far Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the centre was geared at creating a bit of an outreach location for people in the community to connect them to services and resources.
The initiative is a partnership between the College of New Caledonia, Nak’azdli Band, Nak’azdli Health Unit, Nak’azdli Alternate Justice, the District of Fort St. James and Fort St. James Integris Credit Union.
The location provides a central spot for people spending time downtown and to connect to some of the health, life and literacy services offered in the community and area. There are also workshops and an elder story time, open to anyone interested in hearing legends and history or learning some different skills.
It was hoped the spot would help give people hanging out downtown a place to go and help create bridges in the community between people and people and resources or opportunities.