Coast Mountain News Thursday, September 15, 2011
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$1.00 + HST Vol. 27 | No. 18 Thursday, September 15, 2011
Serving the Bella Coola Valley and the Chilcotin
Hans Granander photo
Bull of the Woods Jim Clair and Lady of the Woods Abra Silver, 2011 Logger Sports winners. See FALL FAIR on pages 3 and 4.
Nuxalk Nation administration building and health facility opens BY: CHRISTINA BOUCHER Thursday, September 8 marked the beginning of a new phase for the Nuxalk Nation: the opening of a new administration and health facility on the Four Mile reserve site. The $4.5 million facility sponsored by Health Canada, INAC, and the Nuxalk Nation replaces a previous building lost in a fire in 2005.
The 1,444 square meter building is comprised of two wings, one housing administration offices, and one housing health services. The project additionally qualified for eco-energy funding for environmentally friendly measures such as the geothermal heat recovery field. The existing foundation, gravel access road, parking, septic field and tank were re-used in the con-
struction. In 1969, the first band office was comprised of an addition built on to the old Day School, which was an INAC office and is now Qwasmals Building. In 1972, the band office building was built, and now houses Nuxalk College. In 2002, band offices moved into a new Admin/Health building at Four Mile; yet, this building was tragically damaged in a
fire in 2005. Since that time, offices have been housed in trailers on the townsite. Charles Nelson of Nuxalk Health and Wellness described the significance of the move into the new building for the community: “It’s really good work that’s been done here. These are things we dream about. As we work in old buildings, old schools, old trailers – we’ve gone
through a lot of phases. And now we’re in a bigger phase. We’re saying, we’re looking after ourselves, and we’re doing a good job of it.” The opening ceremony commenced at the building entrance as community members gathered. Representatives of Health Canada (sponsor), David Nairn and Associates SEE BUILDING ON PAGE 11