THUNDER BAY -- The Francophone Centre has a new Van Norman Street home.
And thanks to hefty expenditures by both the provincial and federal government’s they’ll be able to renovate the property to provide a place for the region’s French-speaking population to gather and celebrate their culture.
The province, through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, is contributing $119,458 to the project, while the federal government is spending $319,908 toward the project and an additional $31,500 to help the Association des Francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ontario enhance outreach capabilities and expand partnerships.
Claudette Gleeson, the volunteer co-ordinator for the project, said the organization had outgrown its previous location and the large francophone population in Thunder Bay and surrounding communities had voiced support for a facility where they could get together.
“It’s incredible,” Gleeson said on Thursday. “I was told by a friend of mine it would take 10 years. If you really look at it, it took us eight years from the dream to where we are today.”
The new funding will help finish the community hall, repairs that include fixing the roof and new furnaces.
“You name it, we need it,” Gleeson said.
Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle said it was money well spent.
“It will be a beautiful centre of training and cultural gathering for the francophone community, certainly for Thunder Bay, but all across Northwestern Ontario. It’s a wonderful project,” Gravelle said.
MP Patty Hajdu (Lib., Thunder Bay-Superior North), agreed with Gravelle’s sentiments.
“What it does is it strengthens our community. We’ve had a Francophone community in Thunder Bay for a very long time and they haven’t had a centre to support them and provide an opportunity for their community to gather, for their community to work on issues that matter to them.”
It’s also a chance to demonstrate to the rest of the city just how rich the French population in Thunder Bay is, Hajdu added.
There are an estimated 2,000 Francophones living in the city.
To celebrate, a Francophone Festival will be held for three days, starting on Sept. 23.
“The public will be able to come,” Gleeson said. “We’ll be closing the street and it will between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. We’ll also be having our flag-raising event at 1:45 p.m.”
The event will include music, food and cultural activities.
