Saskatoon’s Cosmopolitan Industries day program building is looking a little spiffier than it used to.
They turned the building from an industrial space to a welcoming one by redoing the flooring and enhancing the lighting.
The Ministry of Social Services put forward $100,000 in capital funding to improve accessibility and function of the space.
“We are so proud of the space, and (for) the participants to have such a welcoming environment just like you and I want to have in our workplace – we’ve got it for them. You can just see from the smiles and everything that it’s just fantastic,” says Sharlene Duquette, Cosmo Industries’ executive director.
Cosmo creates opportunities for participants and helps them reach their full potential through working for the community. Cosmo contracts involve paper shredding, business services and plant pot recycling, which also got upgraded.
“We used to do it out of tubs, and we’d fill up tubs, use the sump-pump to drain the tubs and the buckets to soak. Now we’ve got plugged in water so we can have warm water and you just pull the plug and drain it,” says Duquette.
Cosmo is a community-based organization that has been supporting people with disabilities for more than 50 years.
With a total of four buildings, they’re able to support close to 400 people with intellectual and related disabilities.
Their participants are happy with the renovations.
“Making the building wider and longer … you have more room to get through, you don’t have to push and shove everybody around just to get through,” says Darlene Kowbell.
“I like the pot wash, it’s big, and I like it,” says Tyrell Westfield.
Duquette says their next goal is to fix up Cosmo’s bathrooms.