Canadore College in North Bay officially opened its new holistic teaching facility, The Village, on Nov. 2.
The only model of its kind in Canada, the 38,000-square-foot facility is focused on collaborative interprofessional education and the integration of Indigenous, Eastern and Western healing and wellness practices. The Village will integrate seniors’ and community care with teaching, experiential skills training and applied research in one facility.
“If there is only one thing that you take away with you today, I hope that it is the fact that The Village belongs to our entire community,” said George Burton, president and CEO of Canadore College, in a Nov. 2 release.
“Even though the centre is situated on campus, it is a holistic and community-centred resource for everyone, designed to improve the health care model from the early years to the golden years.”
The Village encompasses Canadore’s Schools of Indigenous Studies, Health, Human Care and Wellness, and Sport and Recreation, which will offer a comprehensive suite of student-run clinics, including general health, Eastern medicine, dental hygiene and safe mobility. Other labs include cognitive stimulation and early childhood education on-site, as well as specialized Indigenous classrooms and ceremonial areas.
Nursing and respiratory therapist students have been learning in The Village since September 2018. As of January 2019, a total of 1,000 students will move into the space.
Phase One of the facility’s construction and technology is valued at $20 million in total. The federal government invested $5.63 million and the province of Ontario committed $1.78 million. The Village’s fundraising campaign has raised $2.7 million from non-government sources.
Phase two of The Village, the seniors’ living facility, is anticipated to break ground in April 2019.
