Pride Center to open in Moose Jaw

Moose Jaw Pride has been awarded a grant of $25,000 to establish a community centre.

The goal is to provide diversity training workshops, regular public programming, support pride events and do rural outreach across southern Saskatchewan.

Last year, close to 800 people attended events and festivities for pride week in Moose Jaw.

"Realistically we weren't expecting to be funded so soon," Joe Wickenhauser, chairman of Moose Jaw Pride, said Wednesday. "It was our first application to Community Initiatives Fund [and] we are grateful that they saw the work we are doing is important."

The LGBTQ community centre is expected to open in 2016.

Wickenhauser said the Pride Center will give those struggling with their gender or sexual orientation a place to talk with someone in person.

"A lot of the work we're doing is diversity training, allowing people to understand the complexities of gender and sexual diversity in our community," He explained.

The organization hopes to be set up in a small drop-in space at St. Andrew's United Church.