If you happen to drive by and see all the construction site activity at 455 McDermot Ave., you are witnessing the uprising of the building expansion project at the home of Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc.
Construction got underway in the summer/fall of 2023 with a lot of people coming together to ensure the project’s success. The warm winter weather in January/February 2024 was also a big help in keeping our build project schedule moving forward through traditionally cold winter months.
Currently, a large portion of the foundation is complete or underway, and many site services such as water main and sewer lines, and land drainage catch basins/drains are in place. Several more foundational elements are now in progress as we close off February, which leads way for more concrete, structural steel, hollow core and masonry throughout March 2024.
We look forward to the new demonstration kitchen, which will help teach cooking and food budgeting skills; two new classrooms to enable more educational programming; a large cultural space for the community to gather; a dedicated wellness room; an elevator for more accessibility; and an expanded daycare so more women and families can access Indigenous Early Learning childcare. Complete with an outdoor canopy and gathering space, the Ka Ni Kanichihk expansion project will create a much needed larger Indigenous-led space in an area of Winnipeg that currently has limited social services and no Indigenous cultural spaces. It will create new opportunities for people to heal, learn and train – all centered in culture.
So many of our community members supported and contributed to this build project and we are so very grateful and thank each and every one for their support. With the additional space and programs, it makes it possible for thousands more in our community to access tools and supports to transform their lives. We are excited to keep you updated as the build project develops over the next year and look forward to welcoming you into the new Ka Ni Kanichihk Campus!
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