Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Society has Land for New Centre, After $1 Sale
HALIFAX — It may very well go down as a historic moment for the city of Halifax, or K’jipuktuk as it is known to the Mi’kmaw people.
At a meeting earlier his week, Halifax Regional Council voted unanimously to sell surplus land on 1940 Gottingen Street to the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Society for $1.00. City staff estimated that the land would be worth $11.7 million once the old Red Cross building is demolished.
The Red Cross building has been vacant since 2013 and staff called it “uninhabitable and a liability.” The city has budgeted $2.5 million for its demolition. At a meeting on March 7, it was noted that the tendering process has started for demolition.
The land measures 56,801 square feet. It is bordered by Gottingen Street, Rainnie Drive, and Cogswell Street. The Friendship Society has a budget of $49 million to build their new state-of-the-art cultural centre. They already have nearly $33 million committed from the federal government to help with the costs.
In 2022, the Friendship Society moved to a temporary office space on Brunswick Street, making the need for a new building more urgent. The new building will be used to continue the society’s work by helping people with employment placement, business development, education, and cultural expression.
The Friendship Centre also contributes to health, as they have four doctors on site. In total, the Centre employs 200 people.
This is just the beginning for the Friendship Society’s plans for expansion. A Phase 2 developement at another site will be used to aid in housing, health, and justice for its clients.
Everyone who spoke at the meeting, including presenters and councillors, spoke glowingly of the sale and the work the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre does in the city of Halifax.
Pam Glode-Desrochers, the executive director for the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Society, called the deal a game-changer.
“It’s not lost on me that the property that we’ve been focused on is next to one of the oldest colonized institutions that Canada has, next to Citadel Hill,” she told council. “And colonization has impacted our community for generations. And we’re still here. And this building is so much more than a symbol for my own community. I think it’s a symbol for all HRM. I actually think it’s a shift and a time and moment for all of us where we come together to move things forward for the betterment of not just my own community, but all of our communities.”
Glode-Desrochers also praised Halifax for being one of the more progressive cities when it comes to truth and reconciliation.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the mayor on some opportunities around Truth and Reconciliation and I actually think our city is one of the more progressive cities that’s trying to do things differently.”
The executive director also noted there is a perception that the Friendship Centre is only for Native people. But she made it clear that it is a welcoming place for all.
“We all work and play together in the same spots. And yet we’re often seen as being very separate and different. So, this friendship center is not just about a place for my community, it’s a place for all of us. It’s a place for everybody to come and learn. Education is a big piece of what we do. It breaks down barriers when you can get people into our community.”
Debbie Eisan, the community events coordinator for the Friendship Centre, talked about how important the centre was for her when she was in the military.
“While I was here, I was in the Navy and one of the most important things that I found for myself here and for my family was the friendship center,” said Eisan. “I went there to have that connection with the Indigenous population to be connected with culture, to be connected with the people who knew me who I was, and who also helped me to educate my children and my grandchildren on cultural aspects”
After retiring from the military in 2011, Eisan wanted to give back to the non-profit organization that gave her so much over the years. She retired on a Friday, and by Monday she put on a pair of moccasins and started working at the Centre.
“I have learned so much about community. I have been able to work with homeless. I’ve been able to work with people with mental health issues. I’ve given hugs to homeless people on the street. I’ve helped people through times of distress, and it does my heart a world of good but the main thing it is someplace for these people to go where they are going to be recognized and they’re going to be respected and appreciated.”
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].