The Darius Elias Community Centre in Old Crow officially opened its doors on Friday, May 20, 2022, welcoming residents inside to celebrate the gathering space as part of Caribou Days.
The new 913-square metre facility provides a venue for community and cultural events. It features multiple meeting rooms, a games room, an Elders’ lounge, a training and exercise room and a full commercial kitchen for cooking traditional foods.
The new centre is more energy efficient and built to withstand possible issues due to climate change, such as permafrost or flooding.
The Government of Canada invested over $10.8 million in this project through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, with the Government of Yukon contributing more than $3.6 million.
Our government is thrilled that the Darius Elias Community Centre in Old Crow is now open to the community. During a recent visit to Old Crow, I had the opportunity to tour the facility myself and witness its value as an inclusive space for community meetings, gatherings and ceremonies for members of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. This project is another example of how our Government is working with its territorial and local partners to build reliable and essential infrastructure that will serve northerners for years to come.
Member of Parliament for Yukon Dr. Brendan Hanley on behalf of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities Dominic LeBlanc
It is great that residents of Old Crow now have a cultural hub to gather as a community and host important events such as Caribou Days. Thank you to our Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and the federal government for partnering with us on this project that will support Yukoners in Old Crow to live healthy, active and engaged lives.
Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn
The name of our beautiful new community centre commemorates the vision and advocacy of VGFN Citizens and Yukon MLA Darius Elias, who understood how important it is for our growing community to gather. As we prepare to celebrate Caribou Days in the new hall, we thank the Yukon and Canadian governments for their generous assistance as partners in this important community project.
Vuntut Gwitchin Government Councillor Bonnee Bingham
The Government of Canada contributed $5 million through the Rural and Northern Infrastructure Stream (RNIS) and over $5.8 million through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream (CCRIS) of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) to this project.
The Yukon government contributed over $3.6 million to this project.
ICIP is providing almost $600 million in new federal and territorial infrastructure funding to the territory over the life of the program, in four funding streams: Public Transit, Green Infrastructure, Social and Cultural Infrastructure; and dedicated funding for Rural and Northern Communities.
That includes $269 million for rural and northern community infrastructure projects, which will be built over the next six years.
Jean-Sébastien Comeau
Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
343-574-8116
jean-sebastien.comeau@iga-aig.gc.ca
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Bonnie Venton Ross
Communications, Community Services
867-332-5513
bonnie.ventonross@yukon.ca
Gyde Shepherd
Communications Manager
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
867-393-2070 ext. 1002
CommsManager@vgfn.net