The Columbia Basin Trust will officially open a new office in Nakusp next month, replacing a smaller leased space the organization said it had outgrown.
The trust will celebrate the opening on June 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a public open house, barbecue and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
President and chief executive officer Johnny Strilaeff said the previous office no longer met the organization’s needs.
“It really wasn’t fit for purpose. It was very hard to invite the public into the office. There was no meeting space left,” he said. “It’s something we had outgrown and also right from the beginning really wasn’t well suited to the needs of Columbia Basin Trust.”
The trust once considered closing its Nakusp office altogether.
Strilaeff said the move was contemplated in 2006 in an effort to centralize operations in Castlegar, but the decision prompted strong community opposition.
“That decision-making process didn’t take into account the really strong, almost visceral connection between Columbia Basin Trust and residents across the region and didn’t appreciate that the organization means a lot more in communities than just numbers,” Strilaeff said. “We learned a lesson through that.”
Strilaeff said the trust ultimately recommitted to maintaining a long-term presence in the community.
He said the new office was built after the organization determined there were no suitable lease spaces available in the community.
“We are fully committed to maintain a physical presence in the community there. This decision was a combination of that commitment with the practical realities that the space that we did have just didn’t work for us any longer.”
The new office includes formal and informal meeting spaces intended to allow residents to meet directly with trust staff and learn about programs and initiatives.
“It’s not just about phone calls or video calls in today’s world, but physical presence and physical connections is important,” said Strilaeff.
“Now we have a space that allows folks from the community and surrounding areas to come talk to our staff about programs, initiatives, and other ways the Columbia Basin Trust supports communities,” he said.
The office currently has about six staff members, although Strilaeff said more are expected to join in the near future.
The new space is located at 83 Nelson Ave. N. The June 10 grand opening ceremony begins with a free lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
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