CITY OF NELSON RECEIVES TIME IMMEMORIAL GRANT

For Immediate Release

March 17, 2022

Nelson, BC - The City of Nelson is pleased to announce receipt of a provincial $220K Time Immemorial grant, a program administered by the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation and Heritage BC. 

In partnership with Selkirk College and regional Indigenous Nations, this initiative will build an Outdoor Indigenous Cultural Arbour on the Selkirk Nelson 10th Street Campus in Nelson that will serve as a cultural gathering and ceremonial space. The covered wooden structure will provide a central focus for community events, celebrations, performances, and learning related to Indigenous history, education, truth, justice, and reconciliation. Planning work will begin immediately, with an estimated fall 2023 project completion.

Selkirk College approached the City of Nelson with the idea of constructing an arbour on one of the Selkirk Nelson campuses, similar to the one on the Castlegar Campus.  Mayor and Council agreed this would be a valuable initiative and committed to a partnership with the College to seek funding to make this a reality.   “We’re excited to receive this grant,” says City of Nelson Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Cormack. “Mayor and Council have made a commitment to truth and reconciliation, and being part of this project will be a chance to further that commitment through the engagement with local Indigenous peoples as we develop the arbour.”  

“The arbour will be a place for healing, celebration, learning and connecting to place,” says Selkirk College President Angus Graeme. “We’re thrilled to receive this funding and work with the City and Indigenous partners to break ground on this project. It will benefit many: The Indigenous community as a whole, knowing they have a safe space to gather and practice cultural ceremony; students who attend Selkirk College; and community members who want to learn, witness, and partake in advancing truth and reconciliation.”

The Province of BC’s $30-million Time Immemorial grant program supports reconciliation, learning, diversity, inclusivity, and resiliency through cultural heritage infrastructure, awareness, and planning. 196 applications were received for funding in three streams:  infrastructure, awareness and planning. 92 projects were selected from 54 communities across the province, chosen by five culturally diverse peer review juries made up of 28 arts, cultural, or heritage professionals. 

City of Nelson Media Contact:

Joy Barrett                                                                                                                                                          

Cultural Development Officer

City of Nelson                                                                                                    
cultural@nelson.ca                                                                                                          

Tel: 250-354-9169             

Selkirk College Media Contact: 

Bob Hall
Selkirk College Communications Coordinator

bhall@selkirk.ca

Tel: 250-551-4185