Iqaluit wellness hub opening makes ‘dream a reality for community’

Thursday’s official opening of the Inuusirvik Community Wellness Hub in Iqaluit marked a milestone for non-profit organizations in Iqaluit.

Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre’s new facility is dedicated to promoting holistic well-being for children and families in one building.

Initially conceived 15 years ago, the wellness hub required seven years of fundraising — as well as designing and building throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — to be developed for the community.

The facility, on Sivumugiaq Street near Northmart, aims to address the diverse needs of Iqalummiut and also of residents in communities throughout the Qikiqtaaluk region.

Designed to bring family-centred programming and services under one roof, the building hosts a daycare, counselling services, community-led training and education programs and community wellness services.

The hub operates on a non-profit model, ensuring any revenue the building generates goes back into programming and services.

“It has taken many years, and the contributions of many community members to make this dream a reality for our community,” Gwen Healey Akearok, executive and scientific director at Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre, told the crowd gathered for the opening.

“We are excited and we can feel the love in the room today. So many community members have come out to celebrate this accomplishment, which really grew out of all the love from the community and the need to make to make spaces that support well-being in a holistic way.”

Funding for the wellness hub is from several sources, including Kakivak Association, Atuqtuarvik Corp., Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, Nunavut’s Education Department and what a news release described as “a very generous private donation from Helen Wester.”

Akearok said programming that the wellness hub offers will fill gaps that currently exist in meeting the needs of the community.

“We hope so,” she said in an interview. “We’ve done it as a demonstration and so we are monitoring how people use this space.

“And what happened was we were able to support a daycare that doesn’t have to pay rent because it is in a non-profit facility, and we have other spaces that can support programs….”

“Like a whole range of what’s possible for skill development and learning in the community. We hope it will fill in those gaps that we are experiencing currently as non-profits.”

Speaking in Inuktitut, Premier P.J. Akeeagok told the crowd that “this building will have a foundation as a place of healing and to learn from one another.

“Community well-being is really evident, you can see it here with community programming that will be offered here.”