Project Sectors
HISTORY
The Stepping Stones [formerly Dr. Margaret Savage] Crisis Centre is a Cold-Lake based non-profit offering emergency shelter, second stage housing, affordable housing, community support, and education for those struggling with unhealthy or abusive relationships or fleeing family violence. The Crisis Centre has seen a marked increase in the need for its services and has increased its capacity, especially through the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent renovations to existing facilities have not kept up with the increased need for services or the number of staff required and a new facility is critically needed.
VISION
The primary design intent of the Stepping Stones Crisis Centre is to create an environment that encapsulates the intrinsic warmth and comfort of home, while also offering enhanced privacy, security, and confidentiality to all of its residents, visitors, and staff. The space is sustainable for both the environment and the human spirit. Green-building features include cutting-edge technologies and passive strategies to reduce operational costs and environmental impacts while creating a healing space. Residents and visitors enjoy access to nature, children's play areas, spaces for spiritual healing and empowerment, sensory rooms and spaces designed for religious and cultural practices.
DESIGNING WITH CARE AND COMPASSION
Trauma-informed design is an emerging concept, and one that we are passionate about developing. The Stepping Stones Crisis Centre, funded by CMHC, will be Net Zero Ready and will serve as a safe and calm high-security environment that embraces choices, some level of privacy, and connections, while allowing for passive supervision. The Crisis Centre, design accommodates users' psychological and spiritual needs by providing a secured outdoor healing garden, landscape design that follows the principles of CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), and an open floor plan that allows for flow and movement while also ensuring the protection of residents' privacy and dignity. Construction began in early 2023 with a projected opening in mid-2024.
