A mess hall located on site would include space for academic and cultural support. (Colin Ratushniak/Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

Fresh Ideas

Tiny homes concept presented to La Ronge council

Mar 25, 2021 | 3:34 PM

The concept of tiny homes for at-risk youth was presented to La Ronge council at a regular meeting earlier this week.

Ali Scott, who appeared at the meeting for Shane Bird who could not attend, told council those involved with the initiative would like to see the municipality set aside a piece of land for the endeavour. While the plan is still in the preliminary stage, Scott noted she would like to see initially five tiny homes built on Robertson Drive or along Bedford Street near Sunrise Apartments.

Plans also call for a mess hall where programming could take place, as well as room for an additional 10 tiny houses if there is a need for them.

“There’s a lot of missing pieces to this project right now as far as partnerships go,” La Ronge Mayor Colin Ratushniak said. “The idea behind it is extremely forward thinking and something the tri-community has been in dire need of for a long time. They are just in the infancy stage of trying to get everything in place.”

There has already been discussions with the Northern Lights School Division about entering into a partnership with the group to make the idea a reality. If it does proceed, Ratushniak noted it would be ideal if Air Ronge and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band were involved in it too.

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Council was told the age group targeted for the tiny homes initiative are those between 16 and 21. Academic support, along with First Nations and Métis cultural activities, would also be delivered on site.

“It definitely has the potential to grow and help the vulnerable youth that are sort of almost left in the gaps of being able to survive,” Ratushniak said. “At the end of the day, if we support our youth, I think that’s something that we should always do, and the vulnerable ones are no exception.”

Ratushniak also voiced his support for the tiny home concept in general. He said having a sense of ownership of a place to call your own boosts moral and changes the individual’s outlook on life.

“I think a lot of us are so privileged in a sense to be able to come to a warm home at the end of the day,” Ratushniak said. “These programs that are designed in this way allow that person to sort of be an adult and push them to feel secure in the way they are going to build and plan for their life.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @saskjourno