Resiliency Centre supports impacted residents as recovery begins
Central Okanagan, BC – A resiliency centre located on Westbank First Nation lands opened Thursday, August 31, 2023, to support wildfire evacuees and those experiencing loss following the McDougall Creek Wildfire.
The Resiliency Centre is a place for people impacted by wildfires in the Central Okanagan to connect with the services they need in a safe and supportive environment. The centre, located at 403 - 3031 Louie Drive, will serve as a single point of contact to provide supports and information from a variety of government, non-governmental organizations and agencies.
Westbank First Nation Councillor Andrea Alexander, City of West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom and Regional District of Central Okanagan Chair Loyal Wooldridge gathered at the centre to visit with the McDougall Creek Wildfire Recovery Team and meet representatives from the participating agencies.
Services providers include:
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Community case workers
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Insurance Bureau of Canada
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Service Canada
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Service BC
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Ministry services
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ICBC
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Samaritan’s Purse
The centre is open daily from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. until further notice and is located at 403 - 3031 Louie Drive. The centre can be reached by phone at 250-707-3454.
Visit rdco.com/resiliency for more information.
Andrea Alexander, councillor for Westbank First Nation –
“WFN is extremely proud to be hosting the Resiliency Centre on WFN Lands. It stands as a testament to the strong bond between our communities, reminding us of our close-knit ties. The nsyilxcən name given to the centre, 'snknxtwiltn,' can be interpreted as 'place where help is provided to one another’. This word encapsulates the spirit of hope and perseverance that we hope this centre will bring. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the dedicated volunteers and agencies for their ongoing work and support for our residents who have been impacted by the wildfires. Limlemt/Thank you."
Gord Milsom, mayor of West Kelowna –
“I’m pleased to see important information and services provided at the Resiliency Centre, and so quickly, to help our West Kelowna residents and the public,” says Mayor Gord Milsom. “On behalf of West Kelowna Council, we are also very grateful to Chief Robert Louie and the Westbank First Nation Council for providing the Resiliency Centre space where many organizations can come together to help our communities,” says Milsom. “Providing extended hours initially will also help those who need access to services outside of typical business hours. The Resiliency Centre will help those affected by the wildfire to recover and rebuild through a collaborative support model and I am extremely grateful for everyone’s efforts,” says Milsom.
Loyal Wooldridge, chair for the Regional District of Central Okanagan –
“As we focus on recovering, rebuilding and restoring our wildfire damaged community, supporting people as they navigate the programs and services available will be one of our highest priorities,” said Loyal Wooldridge, RDCO Board Chair. “That’s why we’re establishing the Resiliency Centre, it will streamline access to supports and information people need by reducing barriers.”
Photo Captions
Photo 1
Left to right: The Resiliency Team at the opening of the Resiliency Centre.
Photo 2
Left to right: Gord Milsom, mayor of West Kelowna, Andrea Alexander, councillor for Westbank First Nation and Loyal Wooldridge, chair of the Regional District of Central Okanagan at the Resiliency Centre.
