Regina's new YWCA building grand opening planned for September

Regina’s new YWCA building is just months away from completion and is running ahead of schedule.

The Kikaskihanaw Centre as it is known, is located in the Cathedral neighborhood. It is 97,000 square-feet in size and will offer a wide range of services when operational.

“Our building is coming up very quickly. We’ve been working on this project for many years and it’s an incredible thing to see it in person and to actually be in this space,” said YWCA Regina’s CEO Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen.

A sod turning ceremony to commemorate the beginning of construction on the land was held in 2022.

Since then, the overall project price has jumped considerably due to rising construction costs. This has left the YWCA short $4.5 million.

Earlier in May, the YWCA launched the “Here for Her” campaign to secure the funds needed to complete the project.

“It’s just a real honour I think to be a part of it. I’m also a donor to this project and I just think it makes a sustainable difference for generations of women and their families,” Coomber-Bendtsen said.

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All of the YWCA frontline staff have already come through the building so they could envision doing their work within the new space.

There is major anticipation for the new building not only by the staff, but by the community who currently utilize their services.

“We’ve lived in a very function built space for a long time that hasn’t been meeting our needs and we’re bursting at the seams,” Coomber-Bendtsen said.

“I think our staff real and the people we serve are very much looking forward to being [there],” she added.

There are roughly 100 construction workers on site daily getting ready for the completion of the building.

When compete, the building will have over 70 housing spaces, over 40 emergency shelter spaces, two daycares, as well as an Indigenous focused area.