The Salvation Army holds ribbon-cutting ceremony for Grace Village

The Salvation Army held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 8 to celebrate the grand opening of Grace Village in Edmonton – a facility that represents a new beginning for not just its rehabilitation programs but for the people who will reside there as well.

Excitement and optimism were on full display as many celebrated the hard work that went into making Grace Village a reality and the good that will be done inside its walls.

“Grace Village will be home for both men and women living in one of our three flagship programs,” said Lt. Col. Brian Venables, The Salvation Army’s Alberta and Northern Territories Divisional Secretary of Public Relations. “Our comprehensive programs support the residents in a bright, vibrant, safe and secure place they can call home, as long as needed.”

The ceremony included special guest speeches from Councillor Erin Rutherford, Capital Campaign Honourary Co-Chair Stephen Mandel, and a prayer from Elder Harold Roscher.

The day’s biggest ovation went to Alex Walker, a former resident of the Salvation Army’s previous facility. He turned to The Salvation Army when he had a methamphetamine addiction and spent two and a half years in the transitional housing program. Walker shared details about his road to recovery and the ongoing support available to him.

“I can still call and talk to them now, and I’ve been gone almost a year,” Walker told Global News Edmonton.

Grace Village contains three of the Salvation Army’s rehabilitation programs and has beds for up to 175 men and women at a time:

• Stabilization Housing: Rapid, short-term housing with support enabling people to move towards the next step on their recovery spectrum.
• Supportive Living: Safe housing that provides support for those who can’t live independently.
• Transitional Housing: Temporary housing that supports people on their journey to permanent housing.

“There are 32 Stabilization Recovery rooms, 71 Transitional Housing rooms and 72 separate spaces for individuals in our Supportive Living residence,” Lt. Col. Venables said.

The new facility is replacing The Salvation Army’s Addiction and Recovery Centre (ARC) located in downtown Edmonton. Its predecessor was built in 1954 and had run its course.

Kyle, a current resident in the stabilization program, was present on move-in day and was one of many who were impressed by Grace Village.

“It’s literally a breath of fresh air. I feel someone going through a detox or trying to better themselves will have more of a chance here than in an environment like where we came from,” Kyle said. “There are more things to do here, activity-wise. There’s a gym, which is good for your mental health.”

In addition to helping people inside the building, it’s also playing its part in combating climate change outside its walls too. Grace Village is a net-zero-ready design with state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling.

Although this increased the overall cost of the building by approximately 4%, it will make that money back in only four years, thanks to the system’s lower operating costs.

“With over 500 solar panels on the roof, 9-inch insulated walls encasing the residential and program space, the geothermal system efficiently distributing the air through 108 heat pumps all contributing to a net zero ready facility with a minimal carbon footprint,” Lt. Col. Venables said. “The operational savings will exceed $6 million over the anticipated lifespan of the building.”

The Salvation Army is passionate about serving its communities, and Grace Village is the newest tool that will be used to help people who are looking for a new beginning.