Housing site blessed

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On Oct. 1, Elder Joe P. Cardinal of the Saddle Lake Reserve blessed the site of a new 52-bed youth housing facility that will be constructed in Edmonton's inner city.

The facility will be called Cunningham Place after Dr. Chester Cunningham, the founder of Native Counselling Services of Alberta (NCSA).

NCSA will operate the facility and provide residents with services and programs that focus on family urban living skills and employment readiness programs that will help individuals to achieve self-sufficiency.

Dr. Cunningham was on site for the prayer and pipe ceremony. He said he was honored by the gesture to name the facility after him. He said it made sense to him, because the Cunningham household was always a safe haven for young people.

Dr. Cunningham retired from NCSA in 1996 after 25 years of service to the non-profit agency. NCSA was established in 1970 to provide court-worker assistance to Aboriginal people in conflict with the law. The agency has expanded its mandate to focus on the healing, housing and harmony of the Aboriginal population. Dr. Cunningham said he is pleased that efforts are now being made for prevention.

Funding for Cunningham Place, a $3-million project, comes from the Edmonton Housing Trust Fund, which will contribute the lion's share, as well as Correctional Services Canada and the Homeless Secretariat Youth-at-Risk program.

Corcan Industries, the construction arm of Correctional Services Canada, will provide furnishings. Corcan is comprised of offenders presently incarcerated in facilities in the prairie region.

Cunningham Place is expected to open in late spring 2003. Criteria for residency is still under development.