Winter weather, burst pipes, destroys Cradles to Moccasins space

Frozen bursting pipes has forced North Coast Community Services (NCCS) to search for a new space for one of their family programs, following water damage to their floors and toys.

Last Thursday, black water contaminated NCCS’ Cradle to Moccasins Family Center, located on Third St., seeping into the drawers, floors and toys.

Black water is waste water containing fecal matter.

“All the stuff is destroyed. Everything has to be replaced. The toys and the furniture are starting to separate,” said Sherry Beal, executive director, NCCS.

Water damage has caused most of the toys at the Cradle to Moccasins Family Centre to crack. (Jenna Cocullo / The Northern View)

(Jenna Cocullo / The Northern View)

Beal said thankfully their insurance company will cover the repairs and replacement of the equipment, estimated to cost more than $100,000. However, restoration will take between two to four months, leaving them without a space.

“We are trying to find a space but there is no guarantee because it is a very short-term lease,” Beal said, adding that NCCS’ office on Fraser St. is maxed out of space.

Beal said the organization would need about 1,500 square feet.

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Jenna Cocullo / The Northern View)

Cradle to Moccasins opened in May 2019 and has already seen 2,180 people utilize the services.

NCCS provides services to families and expecting families who are struggling with day-to-day life.

The Little Chef Big Chef program, where parents learn to cook with their kids, will be run out of NCCS’ Fraser St. offices for the time being, along with Pregnancy Outreach. However, the family centre will be closed, until NCCS finds a temporary space.

“I just feel bad that we can’t provide services to the families because it was so many people coming in, whether for simple things, like coming in to connect with people so they aren’t so isolated, or bigger things like seeing our trained professionals who can help them with behavioural challenges,” Beal said.

Jenna Cocullo | Journalist

Jenna Cocullo