Dedicated Aboriginal Youth Custody Facility Opens in Fort Frances

Canada's first secure custody facility for Aboriginal youth officially opened recently in Fort Frances – on time and on budget. The project is collaborative effort between the Ontario Realty Corporation, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS), the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs (MAA), the First Nations Community of northwest Ontario, along with industry partners including Man-Shield Construction Inc. and Paul Mitchell Architects.

Known as the Ge-Da-Gi-Binez Youth Centre - meaning "spotted eagle" in the Ojibway language, which represents youth - young and learning – the centre caters to male and female Aboriginal youth ages 12 to 17 years who require secure custody and detention in Northwestern Ontario.

The Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC) retained the construction and design teams and project-managed the $13.2 million project on behalf of MCYS. The centre incorporates unique Aboriginal design features, including canoe-shaped skylights and a teepee-shaped spiritual centre, and is built with the goal of achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver designation.

ORC made certain that energy efficiency was built into the design, including features such as low-flow plumbing fixtures, demand-controlled ventilation and energy efficient lighting.

Jason Fellen, Director of Strategic Initiatives with ORC estimates the building will use approximately 40 per cent less energy than the baseline established for this type of building by the Model National Energy Code for Buildings and use nearly two thirds less water.

Approximately 40 full and part-time jobs have been created to operate the centre and more than 200 construction-related jobs were created during the facility's construction phase.

The project is part of Ontario’s five-year, $30 billion ReNew Ontario Infrastructure investment plan. The property (land and building) is owned by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and will be managed by the ORC.

ORC’s Fellen said the project was a success because everyone pulled together to make it happen. “Without question, Mitchell Architects Inc., Man-Shield (N.W.O.) Construction Inc. and their various sub-contractors were instrumental in making it happen,” he said. “Coordination and cooperation between ORC and MCYS was also critical.”

Photos from Aboriginal Youth Justice Facility Opening in Ft. Frances

Opening Celebration Group shot:
From Left: ORC Area Manager Andrew Cotter; Bob Halliday – Mitchell Architects;
ORC Project Manager Jason Fellen; Paul Mitchell – Mitchell Architects;
ORC Project Manager Andrew Potvin