The Pacific Centre Family Services Association got a nice jump on covering the cost for their new facility.

A fundraiser hosted recently at EvedarB次元官网网址檚 Bistro in Langford brought in approximately $9,000 earmarked for a project due to break ground soon on Goldstream Avenue. The new 14,000-square-foot building, to be located immediately behind the associationB次元官网网址檚 home inside the West Shore Child, Youth and Family Centre at 345 Wale Rd., will host community services ranging from parent and youth counselling to alcohol and drug programming.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a great kickstarter to our capital campaign, and what it shows to us is the goodwill and support in our community for our project, which is really significant for the West Shore,B次元官网网址� said executive director Mitzi Dean. B次元官网网址�(The association) is really investing in the future, thinking about the growth of the community and what the community needs as well.B次元官网网址�

For the fundraiser at EvedarB次元官网网址檚, silent auction items and food were donated, and association staff, musicians, auctioneers and emcees all donated time and skills. The proceeds go towards Pacific CentreB次元官网网址檚 $1.5-million capital campaign, which aims to offset building costs and maximize funds available for programming rather than occupancy.

B次元官网网址淲e have a brilliant team working with us B次元官网网址� and we are really seeing a lot of community support mobilizing and galvanizing,B次元官网网址� Dean said. B次元官网网址淭his is the only project of its kind pretty much in the whole regional district. And itB次元官网网址檚 in the heart of the West Shore.B次元官网网址�

Due to the enormous population growth in the area, she added, the net result in maintaining the status quo is a loss in services. That puts a strain on service providers around the community, she said. The hope is to build capacity in the community for the services that are always in need.

With the land cleared at the new site, a groundbreaking ceremony for the new purpose-built facility is planned there for May 5 at 2 p.m. The new building is expected to be open for business sometime in 2017.

B次元官网网址淧eople are choosing to live here and want to be here B次元官网网址� people are coming back to the community, so we are building a sense of pride and identity in the community,B次元官网网址� Dean said.

B次元官网网址淭hat is what this building is about; itB次元官网网址檚 a statement building. The people who need our services deserve a well-designed, high-quality, trauma-informed, locally-served building to meet those needs.B次元官网网址�

alim@goldstreamgazette.com