There's a new public resource in Mansons Landing thanks to a recent joint community effort.

A group of non-profits—the Cortes Island Social Profit Network, The Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA), the Cortes Island Community Foundation, and Cortes Community Health Association (CCHA)—all contributed to "The Pod Project," now located at the Village Commons in downtown Mansons.

Desta Beattie is the family support coordinator for the CCHA and the project manager for The Pod Project and explained how the project got started.

“When COVID first hit, and all the public internet sites on the island shut down—that created a problem for a lot of people.”

The Cortes Island Social Profit Network identified the gap in infrastructure, which they said seemed to affect those that work in the non-profit sector on Cortes especially. The Pod Project is a mobile building with outdoor covered seating, free WiFi, and other shared resources. 

The project was funded thanks to a grant from the Government of Canada called "Healthy Community Initiatives." The Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA) is cooperating to offer parking for those using the pod at the Mansons Hall parking lot, next door to the Village Commons.

There will be a soft opening of the pod on Friday morning, Sept. 23, at 11:30 a.m. If you would like to book the Pod, contact podcommons@gmail.com to learn more.

To find out more about The Pod Project, listen to the CKTZ News Update below: