The Métis Nation of BC recently broke ground on a daycare near downtown Terrace, planned as phase one of a multi-phase construction project. Now, we’ve gotten more info on what the plans are for the future of the site.
The Nation says they’re transforming 4617 Greig Avenue into a dynamic, multi-phase, mixed use development that intends to enhance Terrace’s downtown character and economy.
Brent Weberg, CEO of Métis Nation BC, identified housing as a huge barrier citizens face.
“There’s 98,000 self-identified, and we have upwards of 28,000 registered Métis citizens with our nation. And so it’s really about bringing those people home and back to our community. And so this is one of those communities where, you know, we want to hopefully bring more, more folks home and house them with our development.”
The project will feature a 44-space licensed child care center, affordable housing, and commercial space.
President and Housing Minister of the Métis Nation of BC Walter Mineault says the intent of the project is to build community;
“Our whole structure, our whole thing is built on, you know, community initiatives, community gathering, bringing our people back together, and with our daycare structure. One of our mottos at the Métis Nation of BC is, the child in the middle. We like to put the child in the middle and develop things around that. You know,how we can see that child grow. To give them the best opportunity at life, and one of them is these daycare centers. To be able to put our children in there, but also make them available for First Nations and community members within the community. So we can bring them together and help them all grow together, you know, and live in that same environment. In my mind, it gets rid of a lot of issues that we’ve been dealing with for a lot of years. And,you know, which I hate to say the word, but, you know, as racism, there’s been a lot of that happening throughout, you know, throughout history.
You know, if we bring our children together in the same environment, they grow in that environment, they learn to teach their kids that, and they learn. And we start getting rid of that. You know, that evil word, that racism thing, because kids don’t see that, you know, all they see is friendship among other friends. They don’t they don’t worry about color. And hopefully one day we can get, you know, rid of most of that, those issues of hatred and racism. And all our children can grow together and we don’t have to worry about that type of environment. No more.”