Synergy’s new ReidBuilt Centre for Community Leadership arrived from Lethbridge Aug. 26.
“It’s been a lot of work to get to this stage, A lot of dreaming…it really is a dream come true,” said Synergy Executive Director Patty Sproule.
Heavy wind, rain and traffic delayed the move but by 6:30 p.m. the centre had been backed off of Chestermere Blvd and onto its permanent site on City land near the skate park.
At 2280 square feet, the centre will start to ease the crunch for space for non-profits in Chestermere.
“We sort of jokingly refer to it as a starter home for not for profits it’s not huge …but it’s a place to start,” she said.
The Centre will house Synergy, who will manage the building, as well as other non-profit groups.
“In return for space use we’ll be asking not for profits to contribute to the operating costs,” said Sproule.
Two of the offices will be used by the Pastors from Lakeridge Community Church. Sproule has also spoken with Scouts and Guides about the potential for them to use the program space in the building.
“We’ve been talking with a number of others but we’re not as close to sort of hammering out an agreement with them as we are with Scouts and cubs,” she said.
The Centre for Community Leadership has six offices, a large shared work space and a large program room.
“We really worked hard to design it so that we could meet all of the needs not-for-profits were expressing to some extent.” said Sproule.
The centre has been paid for through sponsors and fund raising.
“We have essentially paid for the building and the utility connections,” said Sproule.
The Centre’s sponsor, Reidbuilt Homes, will be building a 900 square foot deck, as well as benches, planter boxes and a pergola.
“We still have to raise enough funds for landscaping and for some of the building contents,” she said.
Sproule hopes that the centre will be ready for Synergy to move into by the end of September.
The completion of this project secures the future of not for profits in Chestermere.
“It’s a really important step in the progression of the not for profit sector in Chestermere and area,” she said,
“Without taking this step we were very much limited in our ability to grow as a not for profit sector.”
