Ft. St James, B.C.- The completion of the new CNC campus in Fort St. James is like a ray of sunshine, according to Mayor Sandra Harwood  “To see this actually happen is like the sun coming out,” It lifts everyone’s spirits as we come through an extremely difficult time.”

 

The College of New Caledonia’s new building is on Douglas Avenue, right in the middle of the community of about 4,700 people, 161 km northwest of Prince George.

 

Two years ago, the building was a sports store, owned by three people with community-minded hearts and perhaps a crystal ball. They sold the building to CNC for $350,000 and then promptly donated half of the money back to the college so that it could be renovated and a second floor added. CNC then received a matching grant from the Ministry of Advanced Education, allowing it to buy the property outright.

 

The renovations are nearly complete and the result is a 12,000-square foot campus that currently offers five full-time programs – electrical foundations, welding, culinary arts, office worker preparation, and Aboriginal Early Childhood Education.

 

The college received $310,000 in Aboriginal Gathering Place funding from the provincial government for renovations. That funding, along with community donations, allowed the college to complete renovations, with a total cost of $1.25 million.

 

The new building, one of four being used by CNC in Fort St. James, also serves as a gathering place for the community.