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Doors open at newly relocated women's shelter

Kirsten Murphy
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 12/01) - The Yellowknife Women's Centre opened its women's shelter in a former detox centre this week.

The highly anticipated move from 47th St. to Franklin Ave. follows a five- year dream for employees like Fiona Traynor.

Facts The Yellowknife Women's Centre: recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Everyday, 50-100 women and children use the Centre's four services. Emergency Shelter: Over the last six months, the Centre provided 72 women with 643 "bed nights" (number of beds were filled). The shelter provides temporary housing for women in emergency, transition and hard-to-house situations. Lunch Program: 2,633 hot meals were served to women and children since July. Food Depot: The Centre provides donated fruits, vegetables, bread, milk and diapers to women and children each day. Advocacy: Workshops in income support, child protection, landlords, employers and schools were attended by 408 families in the last six months.

"We're thrilled. This is an exciting, incredible event. We'll no longer be in sub-standard conditions," Traynor said.

Furniture was rolling into the wood panelled nine-bed facility on Wednesday, in anticipation of opening today.

Cots and couches will accommodate additional residents arriving at their doorstep.

No woman will ever be turned away, Traynor said, even if it means sleeping on the floor.

"This is the first time we can offer women private rooms," Traynor said.

Details of the lease agreement with the NWT Housing Corporation were vague.

Housing Corp. public affairs officer Fred Pederson said a short-term lease with the women's centre will be renegotiated by March 31, 2001, less than three months from now.

Extending the lease is subject to compliance requirements.

The women's centre was told the building's $3,400 per month rent would be covered by the Housing Corp. until April 1.

That perk failed to make it into the short-term lease.

Even so, Traynor's fingers remain crossed.

"We're hoping to be here a long time," Traynor said.

Other than healing circle workshops, run by the Grollier Hall Healing Circle, the cozy split level building has sat empty since Northern Addictions Services closed the centre in 1999.

Now, the Franklin Ave. building is a temporary safe haven for single women -- many who fleeing addictions and abusive relationships.

"It's like a second chance," said a 29-year-old woman living at the 47th St. shelter since August.

She'll continue receiving free food and shelter until back on her feet.

The shelter is a safe, clean, supportive environment, she said.

Without it, she'd wouldn't have kicked a drug habit and started a new life.

The only other women's shelter in Yellowknife is the YWCA's Alison McAteer House which caters to women and children.

Administrative offices and support-group activities will also carried at the Women's Centre shelter.

Donations of food, clothing and furniture can be dropped off at 5020 47th Ave.