The home of the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest (KNCLN), a city-owned heritage property, will be retrofitted after an investment of nearly $2.4 million from the federal government. The City of Kingston is contributing $636,854.
Announced by MP Mark Gerretsen, Mayor Bryan Paterson, and Constance Carriere-Prill, Executive Director of KNCLN, the existing building will be renovated, aim for net-zero carbon emissions, and provide a new, accessible, urban space for Indigenous-led language learning and cultural programs.
The renewal of the KNCLN, located at 610 Montreal Street, has been planned with community partners and local Indigenous leaders.
Improvements to the building will assist those with mobility needs and parents of young children by giving them greater independence when using this space. Renovations include universal washrooms, a community kitchen, indoor and outdoor community gathering spaces, and an elevator. Additionally, new insulation, electrified heating systems, LED lighting, and solar panels will aim to significantly reduce the facility's energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
KNCLN was started in the grassroots by a local group of Indigenous language lovers and learners to champion the urban resurgence of Indigenous languages. It is now a provincially funded Friendship Centre under the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres and receives financial support from the City of Kingston.
