Nova House gets a new home

Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson, Finance Minister Greg Dewar, Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross, Jim and Betty Anne Gaynor, and Nova House executive director Anna Pazdzierski at Thursday’s announcement that construction will soon begin on a brand new home for Nova House.

PHOTO BY DAVE BAXTER

By Dave Baxter

Originally published in the Selkirk Record

Anna Pazdzierski has spent years telling anyone that would listen that Nova House desperately needs a new and bigger building.

And now that dream of a new building has finally come true thanks to the province, the city, and two very generous local residents.

Last Thursday the province, the city of Selkirk, and Nova House Inc. announced that construction of a new women’s shelter is expected to begin this spring.

The province will put $1 million into the project, while Jim and Betty Anne Gaynor have contributed $500,000 to the project.

The city of Selkirk announced it has donated a piece of land for the shelter valued at about $300,000.

Nova House is a women’s shelter that provides shelter, counselling, and support to women and families dealing with domestic violence.

For decades they have worked out of a facility with about 3,800 sq feet, but Pazdzierski said the new shelter is expected to have three floors with over 5,000 sq feet per floor.

“I am just ecstatic because today it is finally real,” said Pazdzierski.

“I kept thinking something would go wrong or someone would change their mind, but today it is real, and it is a wonderful day.”

Jim and Betty Anne Gaynor, who also contributed $1.5 million to get Selkirk’s new library off the ground, said they watched a presentation by Pazdzierski in 2013 where she talked about the urgent need for a new building.

From there the couple decided they would make a significant donation to the project, provided the city and the province would also come together to get something done quickly.

Pazdzierski said the Gaynor’s were the driving force behind Thursday’s announcement.

“They heard that presentation and decided they would spend the amount of time they have to see this project come to fruition, and that is just amazing.

“Without the Gaynor’s this wouldn’t have happened, and we would not be here.”

Minister of Family Services Kerri Irvin-Ross came to Selkirk last Thursday to take part in the announcement, and applauded the work Nova House does.

“Today is a really important day, and I don’t have to tell any of you about the impact of domestic violence to your city, and to municipalities, and the province, and the country,” said Irvin-Ross.

“Nova House for decades has provided a place of safety, shelter and support, but also hope for a brand new life, and a way forward for a woman to support herself and her family.”

Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson said organizations like Nova House have spent years changing the conversation about domestic violence, and is was crucial that Nova House get into a sufficient facility to continue to do the work they do.

“For decades before Nova House women suffered and there was domestic abuse, and it often went untouched and unreported,” said Johannson. “And I am sure there are probably a lot of people in this room that know about domestic abuse.

“We have changed that, and now we are going to change it again with a brand new women’s shelter.”

The city said they are still finalizing what piece of land will be used for the facility, and Nova House said they would release more details about the new building in the coming months.

Construction on the brand new women’s shelter is expected to start sometime this spring.