2022 Fall Project:
Completed: Cool Aid's Downtown Community Centre
Location 755 Pandora Ave.
Missed the Reveal? Watch the project video!
Their Program
Victoria Cool Aid Society has provided a variety of housing, shelter, support and health services to Victoria’s most vulnerable people since 1968. Operating over 500 supported housing units, 3 emergency shelters, health and dental clinics, and countless other support services in Greater Victoria, Cool Aid has become the largest, most comprehensive social service provider in the Capital Region, serving over 12,000 individuals annually in who are living in poverty and often experiencing a variety of mental health and/or substance use challenges.
Welcoming over 6,000 visitors every year, Cool Aid’s Downtown Community Centre (DCC) is the only space of its kind in the region, providing free programming to support the health and wellness of our city’s most vulnerable.
Services offered include:
- Community Kitchen
- Social, recreation, and arts programming
- Daily drop-in services: coffee, food, computers
- Emergency Shelter Space for 40 People
- Low-cost space rental opportunities for community groups and organizations.
Renovation Details
The Downtown Community Centre (DCC) is way overdue for a re-imagining. DCC operations are challenged by restrictions stemming from its old design. It now needs a space that meets the increased demand for versatile, accessible, and safe areas, while enabling it to provide simultaneous programming and services.
With support of community, HeroWork will re-envision the tired old DCC, transforming the building and breathing new life into this important community resource allowing it to serve more people, in a better way, for years and years to come.
Elements include:
- Re-envisioned, more efficient main floor layout.
- Brand-new and expanded Community Kitchen.
- Creation of new multi-purpose space.
- Updated lighting, plumbing and HVAC.
- New accessible & gender-neutral washrooms.
- Construction of new exterior gathering place and landscaping redesign.
- New flooring, entrance, computer stations, and storage solutions.
- And so much more…
This value of this project is estimated at $700K.
Our 2021 Partners
Without these people & companies we wouldn't be able to organize and complete our 2021 Radical Renovations. Thank you to each of them!
HeroWork Testimonials
Great crew, organization, and atmosphere.
Past HeroWork Volunteer
I love being on Facebook and photo duty. Share the love and community spirit!
Past HeroWork Volunteer
Great to see all the amazing effort that's gone into this transformation and kudos to everyone who stepped in to help others.
Past HeroWork Volunteer
I am very moved by the whole experience & being part of an enthusiastic community effort.
Past HeroWork Volunteer