The Burns Lake Band are forging ahead with plans to renovate the Gathering Place.
A meeting was held last week between Burns Lake Band Chief Albert Gerow and councillors, the Village of Burns Lake as well as representatives from School District 91's school board along with Nathan Edelson and Norma Jean McLaren who are both from 42nd Street consulting and are working on the project.
An advisory group is also being formed between the band, the village and School District 91 in order to generate project ideas and move the project towards the blue print stage and on to construction stage.
Chief Gerow said to Lakes District News that he is hoping that local youth will also get involved in the advisory group as well as neighbouring First Nations.
The ultimate goal of the Burns Lake Band is to have the Gathering Place property returned to reserve land so the band can access federal funding to help with the project.
The band currently holds a 99 year lease on the property with School District 91. The land on which the Gathering Place sits was originally expropriated from the band's reserve in order to build the high school.
Currently any renovations or changes to the Gathering Place require permission to be granted from the school board which can also be a drawn out approval process.
Chief Gerow said that there is a meeting set up between School District 91 and the Burns Lake Band to discuss the issue.
"We remain hopeful that it will happen, but I can't speak on behalf of the school board," said Chief Gerow to Lakes District News. Chief Gerow went on to say that in previous discussions between the school board and the Burns Lake Band the board had expressed concerns about the Gathering Place being turned into a casino.
"I have assured them that the Gathering Place is not going to become a casino," he added.
If the decision doesn't go the way the Burns Lake Band are hoping Chief Gerow said it won't put a stop to the plans, however he said it would make it much harder to get the project funded.
He said the Burns Lake Band are planning on creating a multi use complex that the whole community will be able to access.
The existing gymnasium will remain and will potentially be used for community meetings, weddings, potlatch and also as a sporting venue.
"The advisory group will work towards a variety of ideas and it is conceivable that we will be able to include youth programming and hopefully have the Little Angels Day care up and running again," Chief Gerow said.
"Our goal for the Gathering Place is a multi use, multi purpose complex. Our preliminary plans include new band offices, a Native friendship centre, and other offices that will be available for long term lease to community organizations," he said, adding that there is also discussion over the inclusion of a community swimming pool in the complex.
"It would be an inside pool," he said adding that feasibility studies would first need to be completed before any decision on a pool could be made.
Chief Gerow went on to say that it is possible the building may need to be torn down and rebuilt, except for the gymnasium which will remain as is.
"We may also just have portions of the current building demolished and being rebuilt. If the pool idea is to happen we would be looking at a complete demolition, aside from the gymnasium," Chief Gerow added.
If all goes as planned construction on the Gathering Place could begin as early as May 2012.