A new community resource center has opened in Calgary – The Salvation Army of Canada

The Salvation Army has officially opened a new Community Resource Center in Calgary's Forest Lawn neighborhood that aims to engage and help the community.

This plan has been implemented for more than five years. The Army wanted to increase its reach in Forest Lawn because it is the area with the highest poverty rate in the city.

“There's going to be a couple of things that we're going to focus on, which is helping people who are experiencing poverty, people who are new to Canada, as well as food security.”

Cliff Wiebe, executive director of community services for the Salvation Army in Calgary, explains that there was a lot of groundwork before the project began. They studied the needs of the society, and based on that, a model was proposed.

“Most importantly, we want to engage with the community,” Cliff said. “There's going to be a number of things that we're going to focus on to be on Forest Lawn, which is helping people who are experiencing poverty, people who are new to Canada, as well as food security.”

The Resource Center is a 50,000 sq.ft. The building it occupies was formerly a retail store, making its large size perfect for the Salvation Army's plans. The center will have community service programs such as food assistance, literacy and a Christmas toy program. It will also be the base for the local Emergency Services (EDS) team. A unique addition to this resource center will be a recreation area with a mobile skate park and an exercise area.

The multi-functional aspect of the center aims to ensure that it can adapt to the needs of clients in the future.

“We know that the needs in our community will be very different than the needs in 10 or 20 years. So we created a space that could be used for anything,” Cliff said.

The recreation area not only allows people to come and be active, but also helps Salvation Army staff connect with families who can receive various types of assistance.

“This kind of engagement is a key part of our system of care, leading to better service for the people who come through our doors,” added Cliff.

The large spaces allow the Salvation Army to host events throughout the year such as community meals, job fairs and school events.

To open the building, the Salvation Army held a grand opening event that included a creative ribbon-cutting ceremony with the help of skateboarders. More than 200 people took part in the event. Officers/pastors from various departments attended as well as some prospective clients of the resource center.

“They gave me hope in a hopeless situation.”

One of those clients was Jane (not her real name), who shared her support for community and family service teams that helped her and her children build a new life.

“I want to say to the Salvation Army, thank you very much. You helped my family feel welcome in Calgary and helped us settle in. They gave me hope when I was in a hopeless situation,” shared Jane.

Like Jane, many families in Calgary benefit from all the programs and services available at the Community Resource Centre.

The center officially opened its doors to the public on February 5. This project was made possible by community donations to the Salvation Army.

Written by Juan Romero