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TuesdaySeptember3020143HEALTHWELLNESSDOMESTICABUSEWINTERTIRESSAVELIVESSHORTERSTOPPINGDISTANCESBETTERTRACTIONTIRENORTHLTD.917MacKenzieHwySS22HayRiverNTX0E0R8Callusat867874-2686Weareyourwintertiresolution.WHENTHERUBBERHITSTHEROADYellowknifetransitionalhomeopenswithnewnameLynnsPlacewillstartacceptingclientsinOctoberByDALICARMICHAELWomeninYellowknifewhoseliveshavebeenimpactedbydomesticabusehaveanewresourcetoturntofollowingtheopen-ingceremonyofBettyHouse-nowknownasLynnsPlace-onSept.26.TheYWCAYellowknifeboardofdirec-torsannouncedthenewtransitionalhomewouldbecalledtheLynnBrooksSafePlaceforWomennamedafteraformerexecutivedirectorandpresidentoftheStatusofWomenCounciloftheNWT.Iwasabsolutelyoored.IwassittingatthecomputerwhenIgottheemailandIre-allycouldntbelieveitBrookssaidlistingnameslikeYWCAYellowknifesrstexecu-tivedirectorRuthSpenceandtheterritorysrstfemalepremierNellieCournoyeaaspos-siblecandidatesinhereyes.AroominthenewbuildinghasbeennamedinhonourofSpencewhowasalsoaformercitycouncillorandformerchairoftheYWCAHealthandSocialServicesAuthority.Theroomisdedicatedtorunningtransforma-tiveprogrammingforresidentsofthehouse.ThebuildingisalternativelycalledHotiEtsandaKomeaninghealthylivingplaceintheWeledehdialectoftheTlicholanguage.AboldtransitionBrooksrstmovedtoYellowknife45yearsagoaftersufferingyearsofdomesticabusewhilelivinginCalgary.IgrewupinaveryviolentdysfunctionalhomeandImarriedanabusersoIranawaytoYellowknifelookingforanewlifeformydaughterwhowas14monthsatthetimeBrookssaidinaninterviewwithTheJour-nal.InthosedaysEmploymentCanadawascalledManpower-thatshowshowhighwomenwereonthepeckingorder-andIwentthereandIsaidFindmeajobinCanadawherenoonewilltrytondme.AndtheygotmeajobatabankinYellowknifeandwepackedupandwecame.SincethenBrookshasworkedoninitia-tivesinthecitytomakelifebetterforwomenincircumstancessimilartoherown.In1977shestartedworkingattheYWCAdaycareshortlybeforetakingapositionasthedirec-torofthechildrensservicesandthebatteredwomensprogram.Inthe1980sBrooksworkedtoestablishtheAllisonMcAteeHousefamilyviolenceemergencysheltertheonlyserviceofitskindinYellowknife.ThefacilityisstillinuseasarststopforwomenbeforetheycanmoveintoLynnsPlace.Fromtherewomenwillbefreetorentresidenceslong-termtogathertheirbearingswhileguringoutthenextstepsforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.Inadditiontoworkingonpublicprojectsforwomensandchildrenswell-beingBrooksandherhusbandformercitycouncillorBobBrooksfostered18teenagedgirlsintheirhomeovertheyears.CurrentlyBrooksisavolunteerwiththeCommunityJusticeCom-mitteebutsaidshestaysintouchwiththegoingsonofherformeremployers.ThehouseissoimportantbecauseitsthatsecondstageforwomenBrookssaid.Theyregoingtobeabletobuildtheirlivesandthecondencetheyneedtogooutandhavehappyhealthyliveswiththeirchildrenandnotgobacktothosesituations.EstablishingastableenvironmentThedecisiontonamethefacilityafterBrookswasdeterminedbyapanelofherfemalepeerswhoacceptedinputfromthecommunityoveraperiodofseveralmonths.Nineteennamesofwomenfromacrosstheterritorywerediscussed.Thehouseismadeupof18suitesspacedoutoverthreeoors.Therearesixbed-situnitsforsinglewomen10two-bedroomunitsandtwothree-bedroomunits.TheunitsarepricedaccordingtoaffordabilityguidelinessetbytheCanadaMortgageandHousingCorp.at900amonthforthebed-sits1580forthetwo-bedroomunitsand1750forthethree-bedroomunits.WomencanapplyforhousingthroughtheYWCAYel-lowknifeHousingProgram.LynnsPlacehasstartedacceptingappli-cationsandwillbeginmovingresidentsinbymid-October.Thehouseissoimportantbecauseitsthatsecondstageforwomen.Theyregoingtobeabletobuildtheirlivesandthecondencetheyneedtogooutandhavehappyhealthyliveswiththeirchildrenandnotgobacktothosesituations.LynnBrooksPhotosBillBradenFromleftYWCAexecutivedirectorLydaFullerLynnsPlacenamesakeLynnBrooksandRuthSpencecommemoratetheopeningofanewtransitionalhouseforwomenescapingdomesticabuseinYellowknife.YWCAexecutivedirectorLydaFullerreceivesaceremonialkeyfromthecitywiththesupportofHousingMinisterRobertC.McLeodFatimaBarrosoftheCanadaMortgageandHousingCorp.BobGannicottDominionDiamondCorp.YellowknifeMayorMarkHeyckLindaBusseyCommunityAdvisoryBoardonHomelessnessElderMarieSpeakmanBobORourkeYellowknifeCommunityFoundationandYellowknifeMLAWendyBisaro.