A student housing project at Courtenay’s North Island College has officially opened its doors.
Members of the K’omoks First Nation, local politicians, college staff and students were able to mark the completion of the project with a ceremony and tours of the new student housing at an event on campus Friday, this included blessings for the new buildings from K’omoks First Nation leaders.
The new addition to the Courtenay campus is officially dubbed tul’al’txw, which translates to “House of Learning” in traditional pentl’ach language.
The 217 bed project also addresses gaps for culturally appropriate and accessible student housing in the region while easing the burden on the local home rental market, it consists of three buildings including one specifically for family housing to accommodate students with dependents.
The student housing buildings have been named gukwa’las and tl’emstan which translate to “place to live, home, house, community” in kwak’wala pentl’ach languages. The family housing building’s name comes from traditional ʔayʔaǰuθəm_ language, it’s name is ʔayʔaǰuθəm_ which translates to “place to live, home, house, community – place for all relations.”
The $77-million project includes a $75-million investment from the BC Government, while the college contributed $2-million.
North Island College CEO Lisa Domae is particularly happy to see this project reach completion.
“With the opening of the new housing, tul’al’txw, North Island College marks not only our 50th anniversary but sets us on course for the years ahead,” Domae says. “More than simply housing, this place will become central for the people who live here to develop as students and as people, and it helps NIC meet our goal of building healthy and thriving communities, one student at a time.”
