The Centre action bénévole de Farnham (CAB de Farnham) and a number of other community organizations are getting set to launch a fundraising campaign for a major renovation and expansion project that will see these groups come together in one space, centralize their services, and work together to serve their communities. 

The Town of Farnham recently ceded a building valued at $1.4 million to the CAB de Farnham, the Maison des jeunes de Farnham, le Maison de la famille de Farnham et la region, the Association des personnes handicapées physiques de Brome-Missisquoi, and la Corporation de développement communautaire de Brome-Missisquoi. The building, located on Rue Saint-André S, dates back to 1967 and it was a gift from the federal government to the municipality in celebration of Canada's Centennial year. It more recently served as the Centre d'arts de Farnham.

Now that the building is in the hands of these community organizations, there are essential repairs to take care of and more spaces are needed to help these groups better accommodate the citizens that walk through their doors, according to Jean Valiquette, director of the CAB de Farnham. The estimated cost of the project is around $6.5 million. 

Valiquette explained that the project will be in a few phases, starting with a frippery (second hand clothing store) and food services projected to be completed by June 2024. “Phase two will be to build the new spaces for the groups. (…) It’s expensive because of the price of materials, the price of the people that work, the engineers. Plans are also very expensive,” he continued. “I didn’t imagine that at the beginning, but just to make a small plan it’s a lot of money, So the 2nd of November will be the starting date for the fundraising.”

At a time where the needs in Farnham and its surrounding villages are growing, Valiquette emphasized that the project isn't meant for the CAB de Farnham or the other community organizations that are involved, but rather for the citizens that depend on their services. 

"We want to build something big where, if somebody comes [through] the door, if it is family needs, we will be able to help them. If it’s children’s needs, we’re going to be able to help them. If it’s food, we’re going to be able to help them.”

Valiquette told CIDI that he reached out to the municipality about a year-and-a-half ago inquiring about a space for the CAB de Farnham's frippery and bistro program. The frippery and bistro are currently located beside the IGA in Farnham, but the space was sold to new owners that want to invest in a housing project and the CAB de Farnham was warned that it needed to find a new space. 

Last year, the CAB de Farnham's frippery - which sells used clothing at a low cost - had 22,000 sales, and its bistro program provided free meals to those facing food insecurity, highlighted Valiquette. He didn’t want to see these two programs fall through. 

“In the meantime, the Maison Communautaire where we have five or six other organizations, like the Maison des jeunes and the Maison de la famille, (…) the building where they are needs some reparations [at a high cost]. It’s more than $1.5 million dollars. We decided with the mayor, everyone together, that we’re going to build a new community centre for the Farnham area and we are going to put all of those organizations together with the [CAB],” he highlighted.

Valiquette told CIDI that within the last six months alone, 40 new families in Farnham have approached the CAB de Farnham for help. He added that it’s important for community groups to collaborate and address the various needs that are present within their territory. 

“We’re working for Farnham, Ste-Sabine, Ste-Brigide, and Ange-Gardien. (…) Forty families in the last six months is a lot of people. Needs are bigger and we receive less money and less food. We have to find a way to solve the problem together,” noted Valiquette.

Highlighting the municipality’s decision to cede the building to Farnham’s community organizations, Roxanne Roy Landry, assistant director general for the Town of Farnham, told CIDI that elected officials are conscious of the important role these organizations play in the community life of Farnham. 

She explained the the location of the building is still close to the town centre, which makes it the ideal spot for those needing to access social services.

‘The municipality is conscious that these organizations are essential for the well-being of the community, for all age groups and different spheres of life. We really had to react for all of our citizens,” emphasized  Roy Landry. 

Landry described the decision as a “two for one” in the sense that “we cede a building to the organizations and they will give it a second life.”

“The mission of these community organizations and what they are working on already responds to a lot of people’s needs, but we think that the when all of the groups are together under the same roof that it will be beneficial for people,” she highlighted. “The place will be welcoming, it will be revamped, it will be central. So we are convinced that it will respond to needs that are already being responded to. We also have a lot of new people arriving and we hope that these services will become well known to the citizens that are not benefitting at the moment.”

For more information on the fundraising campaign or how to get involved in the project, reach out to the CAB de Farnham at 450-293-3265 ext. 200 or at info@ccfarnham.ca

Listen to the full interview with Valiquette and Roy Landry below for more details: