Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. 24 August 2020. (BlackburnNews.com photo by Melanie Irwin)Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. 24 August 2020. (BlackburnNews.com photo by Melanie Irwin)
Sarnia

Open house to discuss new community facility in Kettle and Stony Point

The Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation are holding an open house to discuss the design and development of a community wellness prevention facility on Wednesday.

Chief Kimberly Bressette said the capital project would be funded through the First Nations Child and Family Services Jordan's Principle sector.

"When we found out about this opportunity, we realized most of our buildings in Kettle Point that service families and children need upgrades and just more space," said Bressette. "We don't have a community centre. We don't have meeting spaces for funerals and such, what we do is we utilize the Hillside School gym a lot for funerals and community events."

She said needing the space for those things interferes with the students' schedules.

"So, it sparked an interest in us to put together a plan that would be able to give office space to all of our employers, like child and family services, and our departments in Jordan's Principle; family wellbeing and probably sports and recreation," Bressette said.

Jordan's Principle is a child-first principle to ensure First Nations children get the services they need when they need them.

"[Department staff will] have the opportunity to give their input on what their spaces need too, because a lot of them do their own individual programs and they are always borrowing each other's spaces. So, it would be nice to have their own space, plus for us to have a community space that can accommodate 200 plus."

The community engagement session, at the Hillside School gymnasium at 6265 Indian Lane, is being held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on November 20.

"[Community members will] get to talk to the project team and just go over what they would like to see, or what the needs are of the community," Bressette said.

She added sessions were already held with the First Nations elders and high school students to go over the plans.

Chief Bressette said the facility would be built on land off of Highway 21, between a gas station and the First Nation's golf course. 

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