LOWER POST, B.C. – A date has been set for the demolition of the Lower Post Residential School.
A Facebook post from the Fort Nelson First Nation says the building will be demolished on June 30th.
Speaking at a conference in April when more than $11.5 million in provincial and federal funding was announced for the project, Deputy Chief Harlan Schilling of Daylu Dena Council said this was a success story for the people of Lower Post.
“This torch has been the one thing that has been passed off from leader to leader, to finally remove this horrible building that’s been in the centre of our community and the centre of our lives for many people,” said Schilling.
The building operated as a Residential School from 1951 to 1975, and it was used as the administrative building for the Daylu Dena Council until June 2020.
The existing building will be torn down and a new facility will replace it, including a gym, office space, kitchen, educational spaces and other community areas.
“The new building, it’s going to be a new start. We’ve been making things work with having to work out of that building for many years, but it’s finally a turning point for our government to make some big changes.”
Funding has been made available for survivors of the Fort Nelson First Nation Residential School to attend the event, says the Facebook post.
