Years of planning, partnership and community vision came together in Houston on August 19 as Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre Society celebrated the grand opening of its new Friendship Centre and Cub House childcare centre.
Together, the new spaces create a purpose-built home for culturally-centred programs and services in Houston, with room to support community members from early childhood through to their elder years. The development replaces the Society’s aging Friendship Centre with a modern, accessible space while adding dedicated childcare designed around culture, connection and belonging.
Northern Development contributed $500,000 toward the $5.49 million project through the Northern Healthy Communities Fund, a grant program funded by the Province of BC and administered by the Trust. Now fully allocated, the fund supports communities experiencing increased social service needs associated with rapid, large-scale economic development.
For the Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre Society, which is based in Smithers and has served Houston for many years, the project was an opportunity to create spaces specifically designed around the people and programs they welcome. The new Friendship Centre provides room for services to grow, while the 3,600-square-foot Cub House adds 37 childcare spaces for children from infancy to age five.
“When people walk through these doors, we want them to see themselves reflected in the space and know that it is here for them,” said Annette Morgan, executive director, Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre Society. “We now have a place in Houston where children can begin their life surrounded by culture, families can find support and generations can continue learning from one another.”
That connection to culture and place is reflected throughout the development. The Friendship Centre’s exterior draws inspiration from a traditional fishing weir and the relationship between the Wet’suwet’en people, the river and the land. Indigenous artwork brings culture, history and community identity into the interior spaces.
The project also kept connections close to home during construction. Houston-based Westwind Enterprises Ltd. led the build, with major sub-trades sourced from throughout the Bulkley Valley, extending the project’s impact to local businesses and skilled trades.
From a child’s earliest years to the programs and connections that support families, youth and Elders, the new development creates space for Houston to continue growing for generations to come.
