We are thrilled to congratulate Hope Mission as it breaks ground on a new community centre for children, youth and families in Red Deer!
We also recognize that the announcement has created some confusion about the future of Project Nexus. We want to be clear: Hope Mission’s new community centre and Project Nexus are two distinct projects designed to serve different needs within Red Deer.
We spoke with Tim Pasma, Senior Director at Hope Mission, who had this to say:
Hope Mission has been serving children, youth and families in Red Deer since 2015. This new building will provide a permanent home for those preventative programs.
It is not a homeless shelter. It’s a community centre that will provide activities, meals and mentorship for members of our community.
This is distinct from Hope Mission’s emergency care services in Red Deer provided through the rescue van and 24/7 shelter.
The recently-announced 21,845-square-foot facility in Normandeau represents another important investment in our community. Programs and services will be offered free of charge, with construction expected to be completed in spring 2027.
Hope Mission has been working toward this project for many years, and we have been aware of these plans through our relationship and ongoing conversations with the organization. We are excited to see the project reach this important milestone.
Hope Mission’s Community Centre is Not a Shelter
One of the most important distinctions is also one Hope Mission has emphasized publicly: its new Normandeau community centre will not be an emergency shelter.
The new facility is intended to provide prevention and support programs for children, youth and families. Hope Mission has described it as a place people can connect with one another, volunteers and staff while accessing community programming.
That work is valuable. Supporting young people and strengthening families can play an important role in building a healthier, more resilient community.
Project Nexus addresses a different challenge.
The Case for Project Nexus outlines a coordinated campus model intended to support people experiencing homelessness as they move from crisis toward greater stability. Rather than focusing on youth and family programming, Project Nexus is designed around emergency shelter and a broader network of supports for people experiencing homelessness.
The first phase centres on establishing a permanent emergency shelter, operated by Hope Mission. The longer-term vision extends beyond emergency shelter to create opportunities for housing navigation, primary and preventative healthcare, mental health supports, addiction and recovery services, employment and life-skills programming and other community-based services.
These are not competing projects. They respond to different needs.
Project Nexus Remains Essential for Red Deer
Red Deer does not face a challenge that can be addressed by one building, one agency or one program. Our research into homelessness in Red Deer has shown why a broader, coordinated response remains necessary.
The costs extend well beyond shelter operations. Homelessness affects emergency healthcare, policing, corrections, social services, businesses and the broader community. Our research estimates the current community cost at approximately $35.5 million annually.
More importantly, homelessness itself is increasingly complex. People may simultaneously be navigating housing instability, mental health challenges, addiction, chronic health conditions and barriers to employment.
That is why Project Nexus is based on integration.
We congratulate Hope Mission on reaching this milestone and look forward to seeing the new community centre take shape.
At the same time, we remain committed to advancing Project Nexus and to working with Hope Mission, Indigenous partners, healthcare providers, service agencies, businesses, governments and community members to build a more coordinated response to homelessness in Red Deer.
Our community needs prevention. It needs family supports. It needs emergency shelter. It needs housing pathways, healthcare, mental health and addiction supports and opportunities for people to rebuild stability.
There is room, and a need, for all of that work.
Learn more about the Case for Project Nexus and the vision for a collaborative, long-term response to homelessness in Red Deer.
