Former residential school now a thriving community hub
DAUPHIN, MB—A former residential school in Dauphin, Manitoba might seem an unlikely site for an apartment, a teen drop-in centre or a foodbank. Especially since Parkland Crossing is the outreach of a small Church of Christ congregation that sold its building to purchase the property.
In the 1950s and '60s the long, low brick building was home to several hundred First Nations children who attended the McKay Residential School.
Today the building houses 19 affordable apartments, a skills development course for youth, the Dauphin community food bank, an alternative school, the Dauphin at-risk teen program, a clothing giveaway, a community indoor playground and the local health region's stop fetal alcohol syndrome program.
The residential school was closed down in 1988 and a year later the building was purchased by Western Christian College, which was closely connected to the Church of Christ.
When the college moved to Regina in 2003, the property on the outskirts of Dauphin, which included residential dormitories, a gymnasium and classroom wing, went up for sale again.
The building's history didn't affect the church's decision to buy it, says Jamie Harvey, administrator of Parkland Crossing and a member of the church.
With the college went many students and faculty who had helped fill the pews of Church of Christ.
On a good Sunday, about 50 people attend Sunday worship.
Pastor Randy Foss says the decision to sell the church and put in a bid for the property was made only after a lot of prayer, and it wasn't unanimous.
"We started praying what should we do. What is God calling us to do? One member suggested we buy the college property. Others thought this was far too big a project for us."
But over the years as Parkland Crossing has developed as a helping centre for the whole community, even the members who doubted the wisdom of the move have volunteered to help out and become a part of the operation.
Don Dewar, a farmer, an Anglican and member of the Food Bank board says Parkland Crossing has been a great partner for the Food Bank, which pays $400 a month rent.
Not only does the food bank have all the space it needs for its twice-monthly three-hour distribution sessions, food donations can be left at any time because the building is so well used.
What really impressed Dewar is that Parkland Crossing has offered hot meals for Food Bank users, as well as opening the clothing give-away.
"We certainly didn't ask. They just did it."
Harvey, whose parents taught at the Western Christian College is tasked with keeping tabs on all the action at Parkland Crossing. He stayed in Dauphin to work at other jobs, and now works as full-time administrator at Parkland. His house is a stone's throw from the building.
The affordable housing units offer homes to people receiving social assistance, recent immigrants and student teachers. One and two bedroom units rent from $350 to almost $600 per month, which is less than the rural median. That rent includes utilities.
Thirty-two prospective renters are on a wait list, says Harvey.
The classroom-administration wing will be fully occupied by 2010 and Parkland Crossing will then be exploring possible projects for the vacant playing fields.
SIDEBAR: School holds memories for residential school survivor
DAUPHIN, MB—McKay Residential School was constructed in the late 1950s by the federal government. Several hundred First Nations children were sent to the school in the 1950s and '60s.
One of those children, Jim Wastasecoot says he has good and bad memories from the 11 years he attended the school between 1958 and 1969.
"I had no choice. I was put on a train and ended up there with my brothers and sisters," recalls Wastasecoot, a Cree man born in York Landing who now publishes the Drum newspaper out of Winnipeg.
Wastasecoot says that both he and other students were abused at the school, which was operated by the Anglican Church of Canada. "We had one teacher who called us 'bull-headed Indians,'" says Wastasecoot. "He really meant it. He didn't like Indians, had no respect for Indians."
However, Wastasecoot says students were free to speak their own languages. On weekends he and his friends would fish and swim in the nearby Vermillion River and hunt rabbits in the bush surrounding the school.
—Josiah Neufeld
SIDEBAR: Quiet, Bible-based congregation
Parkland Crossing Administrator Jamie Harvey describes Dauphin's Church of Christ congregation as "quiet" and "close knit."
"We're conservative, Bible based, literalist. We're not for everybody," he adds. The worshipping congregation in a multipurpose room at Parkland Crossing is about 40.
The singing is unaccompanied, and the style is traditional. Yet there clear commitment so serve the community in the name of Jesus, which is demonstrated by the growth of such a large outreach centre in a town of 8,000.
The annual budget for Parkland is about $400,000, and the plan is that the operation will break even next year.
While Parkland Crossing has always been a ministry of the congregation, it has a separate board, with congregation members serving on it.
Pastor Randy Foss says Parkland Crossing may have been the initial outreach of his congregation but now represents the ministry of all churches of Dauphin.
"A lot of other churches have helped with volunteers and with donations. We've received tremendous support."
And governments have bought into the vision too. The NDP cabinet minister for the area Stan Struthers recently announced a grant of $50,000 from the Community Places program to support sprinkler system and smoke alarm projects.
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