Singing time at Hub 2.0. (Supplied)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19) and Sheldon Spackman

harkening back to the hub on ross

Hub 2.0 bringing ‘a huge amount of joy’, but hopes are for expansion

Oct 5, 2023 | 1:36 PM

It was late 2020, amid the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic, when The Hub on Ross had its provincial funding cut and was permanently closed, but a program currently running has revived its spirit and some of the significant impact it had on participants.

The Hub on Ross, for several years, served central Albertans with developmental disabilities and helped them become more involved with their community by promoting the breaking down of barriers through healthy interaction in a “home away from home” setting.

At the time of closure, a UCP government spokesperson told rdnewsNOW:

“The model of The Hub on Ross, which was operated by Michener Services staff, does not reflect the government’s current objectives of creating more inclusive opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in their communities. Many of the activities previously provided by The Hub are offered through other agencies and organizations in the city including city-run sports programs, day camps and other recreational activities Three staff members will be redeployed to other positions supporting the Michener Centre.”

The Hub 2.0, which is hosting a fundraiser on Oct. 7, is fighting against the notion that Hub programming is simply being provided by other organizations rendering it unnecessary as a standalone.

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Operated by the Red Deer Arts Council (RDAC) out of the north Red Deer YMCA, Hub 2.0 runs each Wednesday.

“There’s a huge amount of joy at Hub 2.0,” says Suzanne Hermary, RDAC executive director, particularly when the instruments come out, and participants get to make music with local musician Dean Ray. “It’s a smashing good time.”

Hermary explains that when The Hub was shuttered in 2020, a Facebook group chat was started for former participants, but that was their only means of communicating with the world outside their own walls. Many participants have fragile health, so entering the pandemic landscape wasn’t an option.

“We knew that was really causing trauma, having them isolated. These are people who didn’t always fully understand the reasons for what was happening. So through the group chat, we started a letter-writing campaign for people to share their stories of Hub-related loss and pandemic-related isolation with government officials.”

At least one letter was read in the Legislature, Hermary notes. And then, with the likes of Jason Steele and other artists at the RDAC, Hub 2.0 was born.

(Supplied)

Funding for the one-day-per-week program was partially obtained through a grant from the Red Deer and District Community Foundation, as well as Servus Credit Union and a City grant. It has a yearly budget of around $30,000.

“It’s the favourite day of the week for a lot of staff at the Y(MCA) because they get to see the joy on the faces of those coming through the door. The Y is absolutely a partner in this too, and the contribution of space is changing the lives of these individuals for the better,” says Hermary.

“Every single one of our participants is an artist, and we help them to develop their skills. That’s a big part of not just Hub 2.0, but what we do as an organization.”

Between 60 and 120 people attend weekly. The parents of two participants spoke to us, but asked their names be kept private.

“We want to get the word out to the community to expose the program. This Saturday at our BBQ, we’re going to have all the participants, some of the music and art there, and it’s going to be a really good time,” they say.

“It’s important we do more to secure a better future for this program. It was pretty devastating when it got stopped a few years ago. Everybody’s been really enjoying this, it’s really good for morale, for participants’ life skills, and it gets them participating in the community.”

The long-term goal, “though hopefully it doesn’t take five years,” the parent adds, is to have the Hub be it’s own entity again.

It’s a huge responsibility, he says for the Red Deer Arts Council, which Hermary notes has also applied for a provincial Community Initiatives Program grant.

Hermary says there are also thoughts of expanding the programming to Lacombe and other surrounding communities.

“I personally think it would be an ideal situation to get back into the space on Ross Street because it was already set up with some of the venue requirements like the flat entry, the spacious washrooms where an individual could have a shower on site if necessary, and it’s big enough we can fit a couple hundred people,” says Hermary.

(Supplied)

That space, at 4936 Ross Street, has been owned by the province sine 1987. Since Hub programming ended there in 2020, it’s sat empty.

In a statement to rdnewsNOW, a spokesperson with Alberta Infrastructure says it is part of the government surplus building inventory and will be publicly sold. It is yet to be listed. Infrastructure adds that it was offered for purchase to the City of Red Deer this summer, but the offer was declined.

An additional comment from Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services Press Secretary Heather Barlow about the ongoing work of Hub 2.0 says:

“Alberta’s government is focused on creating more opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in their communities. This is part of our commitment to promote inclusion within our communities. Individuals with disabilities continue to receive provincial funding through the Persons with Developmental Disabilities program for their critical and urgent needs. Many of the activities previously provided by the HUB are now available to Albertans through other organizations in Red Deer and central Alberta.”

The Hub 2.0 BBQ and Bottle Drive fundraiser goes from 12-2 on Oct. 7 at the northside YMCA. It will feature live music from Dean Ray, a bottle drive, and by-donation (money or bottles) lunch.