In the Echo Essentials Podcast clip above, Coun. Gary Gardiner visits the Echo Essentials Podcast studio to share his reasons for supporting the Elmwood Community Hub Space, which promises to "unite health, education, safety, mental health and early intervention services all under one roof."
Co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale are joined by Gardiner, who is also the chair of the City of North Bay's Community Safety and Well-Being ad hoc committee. A presentation to the committee on Elmwood in May by former local Children's Aid Society head Gisele Hebert was well-received, and this fall, the CSWB committee recommended $200,000 in capital funding for Elmwood via the casino revenues, which North Bay City Council approved in November.
In the podcast episode, the trio go over the vision for the $2.2-million project and some of the fundraising goals that have already been met with considerable local support.
"What Elmwood is trying to do is provide a safe environment for young people to seek advice, counsel, even primary care if they don't have a doctor — all of those things, Gardiner shares, calling Elmwood "a preventative measure to keep youth out of trouble, to keep them more focused and engaged in positive things."
According to the Elmwood website, "The redevelopment will help bridge a gap in the community by offering much-needed shared space where we can grow together. The expansion will include the addition of a community kitchen, tech lab, boardroom, youth art studio and quiet lounge as well as renovations to the existing Beauchamp Youth Hub, youth pantry, clothing boutique and gymnasium. In collaboration with and thanks to the support of local partners we are making these spaces available for booking by residents and partner organizations. These expansions are poised to provide a revitalized and youth-driven design, creating a vibrant hub for youth and community programming."
Find the full-length episode of the podcast featuring Coun. Gary Gardiner and other podcast offerings recorded in the North Bay Echo Community Podcast studio at North Bay Echo.
The Echo Essentials Podcast ties together all of the elements of the North Bay Echo Community Podcast Network and is hosted by Essentials newsletter editor Dave Dale and Echo’s principal partner Scott Clark. North Bay Echo is a network of podcasts focusing on our community. Guests on the weekly Echo Essentials Podcast reflect on the challenges and issues facing North Bay while Clark and Dale discuss the topics and podcasts featured in the newsletters.
