If you come to the offices at 490 Quebec St

In the Beginning

Way back in the day, we had an open-door policy in the offices. Vivian Candy collaborated with Jim Fowley and other legends to raise awareness of the plights of people facing various barriers. This building was built for all of us. It inspired many to make essential changes and motivate others. The built environment of the city and public transportation around it had no access. More people became aware through personal needs and diverse views of what access means. The short story: this entire building was Prince George’s ‘most accessible building’ for a while. We had the province’s most accessible transit service until the city, until others surpassed us. This building housed CNIB Northern BC, MS Society of Canada, Diabetes Canada, and Friends of Children, along with us and other groups.

Flash forward…

Before the pandemic, the YMCA’s Foundry program opened a second office for youth services in Prince George in this building at 490 Quebec Street. The front door was locked, so we bought a doorbell system to let you in by appointment. We faced 2 years of funding challenges, while many other offices emerged after the pandemic. A modern Doorbell system was installed by 2025, the biggest change. More recently, Ring Cameras with a button and video for all offices automatically open the front door if the old button is ignored. In the near future, the original button will be gone.

More to come!

Here at Handy Circle, we are busy planning events. We’re awaiting funding from diverse sources, including Government Gaming Grants and your donations. Did you realize you can make a tax-deductible donation to us? Our email, hcrspg@gmail.com, accepts e-transfers, and if you request a tax receipt, we will send that to you quickly. So far, we have plans for our annual Craft Fair to happen. Be ready to set up the day before. We hope to have everything ready for CANDO and the Looney Auction too, and perhaps a few programs around the office. We’re just waiting for news of grants and donations.