The Round Prairie Elders’ Lodge for Metis Elders is just months away from opening. President of the non-profit Central Urban Metis Federation Incorporated, Shirley Isbister, says it’s something that CUMFI has wanted to bring to fruition for years and the hope is to have Elders moving in by November 1st. The final of the 26 units was craned into place Wednesday.

She describes the affordable housing development as including a wide range of supports for Elders, a ceremony and prayer room, a courtyard with raised garden beds for those who want to garden and traditional trees like chokecherry and Saskatoon berry will be planted.

The Lodge is named after the Round Prairie Metis community which was about a half hour’s drive from Saskatoon, just passed the Whitecap Dakota First Nation. Isbister says the Lodge was designed to be culturally sensitive and includes the participation of Indigenous trades in the construction process.