Willow River Centre to temporarily close and relocate due to funding challenges
The founders of the centre are looking to sublet the space after next month
Kitchener's Willow River Centre is looking for a new home.
The centre has been a one-of-a-kind gathering space for Waterloo region's two-spirit and queer Indigenous community.
The founders of the centre have decided to temporarily close the current location on 243 King Street East in Kitchener and look for a smaller, cheaper place to lease.
The centre's co-founder Bangishimo says they had applied for a variety of grants to be able to stay open, but ultimately didn't receive any additional funding on top of their regional grant.
"It's frustrating because like many non profits we haven't been able to secure core funding. We don't have any major donors backing us up here," they said.
"We've just been relying on these small grants and an upstream fund from the Region of Waterloo, but upstream isn't meant to be our foundation."
Willow River Centre is the first two-spirit, IndigiQueer led community space in Waterloo region with roots in the local Land Back Camp movement, which began in June 2020. That's when the group put up a teepee and two tents in Victoria Park.
After four years of working to secure funding, the centre first opened its doors in October 2023. Since then, it has provided a space to host traditional ceremonies, artisan workshops and facilitate community building.
In October 2024, Jane Goodall, a world-renowned zoologist and environmentalist, dropped by Willow River Centre for a tour of its garden spaces.
WATCH| Jane Goodall tours Indigenous community centre in Kitchener, Ont.
Bangishimo says they would be able to afford to keep the centre open in the current location if they partnered up with a second organization.
"We love this space. It's in such a great location, it's become a centre for the community for so many grassroots community groups that rent out the space every week and on the weekends. So if there's any groups out there that might be interested in moving in with us, we would be totally open."
'We've done all of the right things'
The doors of the centre will remain open as a community space through June.
Bangishimo and co-founder Amy Smoke say they currently don't have money to keep the centre running after the end of June. There are still three years left on the lease and they are looking for someone to sublet the space.
"It's only been a year. We've been trying to get on our feet and we've got a lot of support from the community," Smoke said.
"We're really surrounded by folks who have stood with us and supported us in solidarity since 2020, even before we even had the brick and mortar.... [There's] a lot of support in moving forward what we can still accomplish without having a physical space."
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The founders said staff at the centre did everything they could to stay afloat.
"We've done all of the right things. We've followed all of the rules. We got a lawyer and a lease and registered and did all the things. We're playing the colonial capitalist game and it just hasn't been as successful," Smoke said.
"These games are not meant for us."
Permanent fire space opening this year
Bangishimo said there will continue to be gatherings and programming in Victoria Park.
"We're planning on doing our monthly gatherings in the park that we've always done over the last five years," they said, adding the city of Kitchener is working with them to open a new permanent space for a sacred fire.
"That's something that's supposed to happen this year actually, which we're really excited about."
Bangishimo says Jeffery Silcox-Childs, the city's director of parks and cemeteries, has guaranteed to put money aside to help build the permanent fire space at the park sometime this year.
The city of Kitchener said in an emailed statement to CBC News that it's "sorry to hear about Willow River Centre's temporary closure."
"We support their use of the ceremonial fire space in Victoria Park. Kitchener also has a policy that was developed in consultation with Land Back Camp and other Indigenous organizations, that waives rental-related fees for use of city space for eligible Indigenous cultural and ceremonial events. Access to space through this policy may help Willow Run Centre maintain their programming while they look for a new, permanent space," the email continued.
The co-founders of the centre are hoping to host fundraising events at the park this summer to help pay for the centre's new home.
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