North Bay Indigenous Hub

This project was spearheaded by two Indigenous-led planning groups in partnership with the District of Nipissing Social Services Board, with the aim of developing an Indigenous Hub for primary care and early childhood development in North Bay.  Our firm worked closely with both groups – The Indigenous Working Group and the Indigenous Primary Care Team – to help analyze the feasibility of the project, and subsequently design and implement the extensive renovation of a former elementary school in North Bay, Ontario.

The building will include 23,000 square feet of space that will serve First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Peoples, without distinction of status, non-status, or residence.  The services will reflect Indigenous approaches to health and child care, and will include an interprofessional primary care team featuring both western and traditional medicine, and Early Years learning centre complete with a fully-equipped teaching kitchen, and an 87-child Day Care Centre with an extensive natural outdoor play space.

The design for the facility will feature the extensive use of wood and a warm palette of materials to ensure users feel welcomed and comfortable in the facility.