Rising Above breaks ground on new addictions treatment building in Grande Prairie

Local leaders at the groundbreaking for a new Rising Above Building at the current Park Campus in Grande Prairie, Alta. on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. The $5 million, four story, building will add beds to Rising Above addiction treatment facility. (Jesse Boily)

Rising Above, a faith-based addictions treatment centre, broke ground at its Park Campus in Grande Prairie on Jan. 6.

It marked the beginning of construction on a $5 million four-story building that will bring more resources to its clients. It will be located on the site of the former young offenders centre.

"It's a turning point for the organization," said Mel Siggelkow, Rising Above executive director.

"Today, we break ground for the construction of a new facility that will allow us to expand our capacity from 51 beds to 70 beds, but not only expand capacity ... but strengthen our programming and commitment."

The new build will now bring the women’s program to the facility, as they currently are housed off campus.

According to Siggelkow, female clients have said they feel left out due to having their housing off campus.

While men can access support from staff by just walking down a hall, women have to make a walk of about 20 minutes.

"They just feel like once they leave their programming after classes in the morning that they are now disconnected and isolated, and it's going to make a big difference to have them right on site where the staff have their offices and can be supportive."

Rory Tarant, Rising Above board chair, said that in 2023 Rising Above received over 500 applications. The program can only accept 100 people annually.

"The need is obviously there," he said.

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Siggelkow said it's hard to turn away so many people, and when beds do become available, sometimes those people are no longer ready for treatment because they simply cannot just wait three months.

"Addiction rates, as everybody knows, are increasing, and no sign of it getting any better, so the only solution is to provide help to more people, one person at a time," said Siggelkow.

A $5-million fundraiser kicked off in October 2023 with board member Dan Rigler suspended from a crane for a weekend above the Staples parking lot.

Rising Above has hit about 60 per cent of its fundraising goal – about $3.7 million – for the new build with funds from local municipalities and private donations.

"We'd love to see this thing fully, fully paid for by the end," said Tarant, noting there are plans to begin another fundraising drive soon.

Provincial addiction treatment centre

In June last year, the province announced a $35 million addiction treatment centre in Clairmont, expected to open in 2027.

Grande Prairie MLA Nolan Dyck said he has been asking the ministry for updates on that project.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully having shovels in the spring of 2025," he said, noting it would be about a 50-bed centre with long-term addiction treatment.

He said the provincial facility and Rising Above have the same goal with different strategies and will help the community as a whole.