First Light Headquarters at Caledonia Place

First Light is a registered non-profit organization that serves the urban Indigenous and non-Indigenous community alike by providing programs and services rooted in the revitalization, strengthening and celebration of Indigenous cultures and languages in the spirit of trust, respect, and friendship. Currently dispersed throughout several buildings across the city, First Light is looking to move the bulk of their programming to Caledonia Place, located at 40 Quidi Vidi Road. Caledonia Place, formerly St. Joseph’s Church, will undergo intensive renovation as a part of this adaptive reuse project.

First Light aims to create a welcoming community space for all, adding some significant community infrastructure and programming to the neighbourhood including the addition of a new gymnasium and community space with rooftop garden.

The project will also include a Memory Garden dedicated to the survivors of residential schools across the province, designed in collaboration with Mills & Wright Landscape Architecture.

The new headquarters will help First Light establish a solid presence in the St. John’s downtown core as they continue to provide vitally important support to our communities both within the city and province wide.

Design team: Chris Woodford, Kathy Oke, Sarah Reid, William Flynn

2022 Atlantic Provinces Association of Landscape Architects Award of Excellence: First Light Residential School Survivors Memorial Garden in collaboration with Mills & Wright Landscape Architecture, Inuit Elders and Residential School Survivors