Women and children escaping domestic violence will soon have two purpose-built places to turn, as the Bonnyville Friendship Centre prepares to open the Home Fire Shelter for Women and the Home Fire Transitional Home this month.

Built to Feel Like Home

The Friendship Centre made it clear from the start that these facilities needed to feel welcoming, safe, and home-like rather than institutional. GenMec ACL designed and constructed both buildings with that vision at the forefront, creating warm, accessible spaces that support healing and stability.

Emergency Shelter Opens First

The Home Fire Shelter for Women opens on December 8, offering 35 beds for women and children in need of immediate safety. The shelter will provide crisis response, mental health support, danger assessments, elder guidance for adults and youth, and assistance navigating the court system. Its focus is on meeting the urgent needs families face when they first leave dangerous situations.

Transitional Home Follows

One week later, on December 15, the Home Fire Transitional Home will open with 30 affordable housing units. This longer-term space is designed for women and children rebuilding their lives and working toward greater independence.

Both buildings include free childcare, helping women remain employed, seek new job opportunities, and focus on recovery.

Meeting a Critical Local Need

The project began more than three years ago with a needs assessment that highlighted significant gaps in support for families experiencing violence. As the work progressed, the province encouraged expanding beyond an emergency shelter to include a transitional home, ensuring families had support throughout every stage of rebuilding.

With the openings now only days away, the new Home Fire facilities represent a significant step forward for safety and support in the Lakeland. Designed and constructed with care by GenMec ACL, these spaces offer what many families need most: security, belonging, and a place to start again.