Marguerite Riel Centre gradually returning services and programs during re-opening
June 15 was when the Marguerite Riel Centre re-opened its doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The centre provides activities, life skills, and mental health support programs for families, residential school survivors, and homeless people in Melfort and area. The typically busy operation by the Canadian Metis Heritage Corporation had to adjust its hours and services in a pandemic world.
“We’re now open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – closed at lunch – but we are open to the public with precautions now. It’s taken a while to get this far,” centre director Joanne Yakowic said. “We do a lot more sanitizing and cleaning, wear face masks with certain programs, practice social distancing, and make a lot of our groups on a smaller scale where we have a few people at a time. We’re trying to do as much as we can outside for groups to help with some of those things.”
Ahead of re-opening, Yakowic said children were the most eager to return, while parents were more cautious. She said it takes time for everyone visiting the centre to ensure they feel safe.


