The Yorkton Indigenous Friendship Centre officially opened its doors Tuesday, marking the return of a friendship centre to the city for the first time since 2018. Dozens of people attended the grand opening at the centre’s new home at 107 Myrtle Avenue. Among those attending were Yorkton Tribal Council Chief Isabel O’Soup, Yorkton MLA David Chan, Mayor Aaron Kienle and Yorkton-Melville MP Cathay Wagantall. Speakers welcomed the new centre and expressed hope for a strong partnership moving forward. Following the speeches, dignitaries joined board members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony before guests gathered to enjoy bannock, hamburgers and hotdogs. For executive director Mary Culbertson, the day represented the culmination of months of work to re-establish a friendship centre in Yorkton. Culbertson said the centre is intended to serve as a community hub open to everyone. “It is a community service organization that is status blind. It is primarily for Indigenous people, but that is blind, so it doesn’t matter who you are,” she said. “First Nations, non-First Nations, Métis, non-status. There’s so many labels that get put on our people and even newcomers and allies.” Culbertson said the centre plays an important role in providing programs and services that help address challenges faced by many communities. “One day we’ll all be at that stage where we don’t have to look around anymore and see homelessness, where we don’t have to see addictions, where we don’t have to see so much grief and mental health issues,” Culbertson said. “But we all got to work together and put programs in place to serve our community so we can get there one day.” Culbertson explained that the last friendship centre that had operated in Yorkton was there for several decades before closing in 2018. She said volunteers and community members spent the past year rebuilding the organization from the ground up. “About a year ago, we started operations, and it was lots of hard work by people and volunteers on the ground to get another centre going, to get another incorporated body, to get the recognition from the provincial Indigenous representative organization and to get recognition by the national organization,” she shared. For Culbertson, the reopening has particular significance because of her ties to the area. “When I had the opportunity to come to my hometown, my home area, in August last year, I said, ‘Okay, I’m ready to come home,’” she said, referring to her former position as a treaty commissioner. Despite organizing major events throughout her career, Culbertson said Tuesday’s celebration carried a unique weight. “I can tell you by far [these are] the most sleepless nights I’ve had and the most anxiety and the most nervous I’ve been for any event ever because it’s my home. It’s my heart,” she said. Looking ahead, she hopes the centre can continue to expand its programs and eventually grow into a larger facility. “I would love it if we had a huge, big gathering place again where we could have gymnasiums, where we could have maybe tribal council assemblies, where associations could come have their meetings, where we could have big community dinners,” she said. “That’s our goal.” As the centre looks to expand its programs, Culbertson is also encouraging community members to get involved. The organization is currently seeking volunteers, donations and local partnerships to help improve the facility and support programming. One of the centre’s immediate priorities is making the building more accessible, including the addition of a wheelchair-accessible washroom. “If anyone wants to come and say, ‘Hey, I can come do some estimates for you,’ let’s talk!” Culbertson said. For now, Culbertson said the focus is on building programs and inviting community members to become involved. “We welcome everyone to come visit us at 107 Myrtle,” she said.
