Rising Above on Google Streetview

By Curtis Galbraith

Community

Rising Above looking to build additional space

Jun 28, 2023 | 6:00 AM

Grande Prairie’s Rising Above Ministry hopes to break ground on a new project next spring.

This would see a three-storey, 3,200 square foot building built close to the existing facility located in the old young offenders centre near Centre 2000.

Rising Above Executive Director Mel Siggelkow says the main level will include programming and kitchen space and room to house 28 program participants on the top two floors.

“Currently (we have) room for 19 men that live in that facility, so our 17 beds for women are dispersed in the community in four different residential houses.”

“One of the concerns is they don’t have easy access to ongoing supports. They’ll be there in the morning for classes, but throughout the day they feel more isolated.”

Siggelkow says the new building would accomplish two things.

“One is bringing the women’s residence under the same campus so they’ll have easy access to the supports that are there, plus, at the same time, (this) will increase our bed capacity by about 30 per cent.”

The four houses that currently hold spaces for women would be sold to help pay for the new building.

City council directed Mayor Jackie Clayton to write a letter of support for the proposal at Monday’s meeting.

Siggelkow says the next step will be a major fund-raising campaign.

“Which will be connecting with different levels of government and businesses. We’re looking at raising over two-thirds of it before we’ll start building.”

“Our ideal plan would be able to break ground next spring when the ground thaws.”

Construction would take a year to a year and a half with the total cost at $4.8 million.

Siggelkow says Rising Above is willing to have meetings with the neighbourhood similar to when they first moved into the building. He says it may be a non-issue because this was already done before.