Cook’s Ferry Indian Band announces exciting new community services centre to support members

Fully funded, the new multiplex will be a hub for community and Band services in Antko

The Cook’s Ferry Indian Band (Cook’s Ferry) is excited to announce the development of a new community services centre in Antko, located In Merritt, B.C., marking a major investment in community well-being and long-term resilience. This long-awaited community services centre will house Band administration, health and wellness services, as well as create a hub for social services and recreational programming.

Funding for this community hub is fully secured following years of advocacy from Cook’s Ferry Chief and Council.

“This Community Services Centre will be more than a building — it will strengthen needed service delivery, meeting community members where they live in an accessible and safe environment,” said Chief Christine Walkem, Cook’s Ferry Indian Band. “Having a dedicated community space at Antko works towards eliminating traumas caused by displacement, division and lack of presence. This work builds on a longstanding vision for Cook's Ferry membership.”

Chief and Council are committed to gathering input from the Cook’s Ferry members and keeping you updated throughout the process. Cook’s Ferry will be hiring a community planner in the coming weeks, who will lead community engagement and collect feedback on aspects of the project to help ensure the facility reflects members’ needs and long-term use.

Building this community services centre is aligned with the original intention for the subdivision when it was designed years ago. A construction contractor for this project has been secured and a conceptual design of the building has been developed.

“We are excited to finally bring the vision of this subdivision to fruition with the building of this community services centre,” said Chief Walkem. “We are taking a step closer in building our relationships and instilling our identity with community after much work and adjustment.”

Cook’s Ferry will share more details on this exciting project and details on the community engagement over the coming weeks.