Construction began Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 on new facilities for the South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services society on Ellis Street in Penticton.
(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)
February 15, 2017 - 7:00 PM
PENTICTON - Work is underway on new, expanded facilities for the South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services facility in Penticton.
Community services program manager Tahira Saeed says the new building, which is being constructed in a vacant lot at 340 Ellis Street, will greatly enhance program flexibility and capacity for clients, staff and volunteers.
“It will provide an additional 850 square feet of space over our present location at 508 Main Street,” Saeed says.
The new location will also provide room for six small offices to allow more personal privacy during consultations with clients, in addition to providing more space for childminding facilities, Saeed says.
“Right now, our four staff members are allocating rooms for use on a daily basis,” she says, noting the new facility will eliminate that need.
The society, which has been serving the region for more than 40 years, provides a one-stop shop for immigrants and refugees to help them settle, find careers and develop skills as they adjust to life in Canada.
More than 1,500 clients from more than 60 countries were served last year by the services’ multi-lingual staff. Saeed says that number is up from 1,100 in 2015.
Construction on the 4,000 square foot facility is expected to be completed by early August.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2017