New family wellness centre planned for Iqaluit
Centre to open in former group home for girls; building has 7 bedrooms, room for office and programs
A new family wellness centre will open in Iqaluit on Monday in this building in the Happy Valley neighbourhood, Family Services Minister Margaret Nakashuk has announced. (Photo by David Lochead)
Iqaluit is getting a new family wellness centre, according to Family Services Minister Margaret Nakashuk.
The new centre will be housed in a Government of Nunavut building in the Happy Valley neighbourhood previously utilized as a group home for girls.
“With seven bedrooms, programming space and office facilities, the family wellness centre is a valuable and safe resource that will provide emergency foster placement for children when needed,” Nakashuk said in the legislative assembly Tuesday in a minister’s statement.
She said a “more meaningful name” for the centre will be selected after the department consults with elders.
Services for the public are expected to be offered at the building starting Monday, said Maya Jelali, acting director at the Department of Family Services, in an email to Nunatsiaq News.
Currently, the building is accessible only to Family Services clients.
“Iqaluit Family Wellness team will also utilize this space for visitation between parents or guardians and children, creating a safe location where children can spend time with their families,” Jelali said.
She said the Family Services Department will consult with non-profit groups in Iqaluit to explore possibly using the space for additional programming.
So, a group home? Who will run it? They will probably have to contact it out. Glad they closed it down and took a year to figure that out.