The Cowichan Women Against Violence Society has moved from its rental home of more than a dozen years.
Executive Director Jane Sterk confirmed the move was recently made around the corner from their old Ingram Street location to 246 Evans St.
“We moved because we had an opportunity to buy a building that we thought would better meet the needs of our clients and our staff,” she said. “We’re almost settled, about three-quarters of the way there, and we’re delighted. It’s a beautiful building and it’s going to be a good home for us.”
More natural light and a fresh feel are among the benefits of the new digs, but that’s not all.
“It gives us a bit of autonomy,” Sterk said. “We’ve become our own landlord so we build equity every month. And it allows us to configure the space in a way that works better for our programming needs. We purchased the building as a renovated space and so we had some input into how the building was laid out for office space and group space.”
An older building that used to house the old television repair shop, the new design and renovations have made it feel like new.
“We’re pretty excited,” Sterk said.
A grand opening celebration is expected for the fall.
CWAV offers services such as counselling to women who are, or have been victims of violence. They also do advocacy work in the community.