Tatamagouche Centre is pausing!

Letter to the Tatamagouche Centre Community

I’m writing to all supporters of the Tatamagouche Centre to let you know that the Board of Directors, along with a group of friends and partners, has decided to pause programming and hosting at the Centre following our final hosting commitment in mid-December, 2025.

Coming to this decision has been difficult. We still need your support through the transition period ahead. We remain fully committed to the historic Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in June 2025 by the United Church of Canada, Women of First Light, and the Tata Centre. This MOU commits the UCC to transferring stewardship of the Centre’s lands and buildings to Women of First Light, in a way that enables them to create their vision of a healing place for all. 

Over the past year, it has become increasingly clear that without an infusion of non-project-related money for core operations and building maintenance, we can no longer cover the cost of running the Centre. We need $200,000 per year of unencumbered funds, for at least two years, to repair and retrofit our seven buildings so that the cost of maintenance and heating are sustainable.

Centre staff and Board members have come to this point before, notably in 2015. In 2015, Board members and supporters raised enough money to reopen the Centre and make all the powerful gatherings of this past decade happen. Many of us have attended events since 2016 that inspired us and rekindled our passion to work for “a more just and loving world.” 

It is ironic that we must call for another pause in the Centre’s operations today--at the end of 2025--when the Centre and its grounds have never been so beautiful, and when the Centre has been operating at full capacity for the past 8 months. We are so grateful for staff who have worked hard and long this fall to serve a full slate of programs, hosted events and community workshops. Thank you to staff who made 2025 such a vibrant year: Katja Burtis, Lee Fleming, Lacey Miller, Klaus Muller, Catherine Bussiere, Jayden Nicholson, Jennifer Nicholson, Michelle Halliday and Pamela Craig.

Our Executive Director, Isaac Vallentin left that position at the end of November; Isaac has taken on a new position in light of the precariousness of our financial position. Staff and Board members are grateful that he shared his many talents with us this year. Isaac took on the position knowing that our financial situation was challenging, and threw himself into making the Centre a financially viable place to support people involved in the spiritual and social justice callings of these times.   We are very sad to lose his leadership, kindness, clarity, energy, carpentry skills and wisdom. He assures us that he remains a supporter of the Centre.

Despite the successes staff have created, we face several hurdles:

·       all of the 7 buildings are hitting depreciation milestones. Many green retrofits have been completed, and still the cost of heating and upkeep continue to mount

·       we no longer have reserves to offer scholarships for programs, and potential participants have less disposable income to pay the true cost of attending programs

·       the majority of the Centre’s donors are elderly, and younger adults are struggling to meet their basic living costs, let alone donating

·       government and foundation funding opportunities are fewer and increasingly competitive

·       it has been challenging to build volunteer commitment to the Board and its committees

Finally, the Board continues to operate, following a model of circle leadership, and is committed to conducting an inclusive conversation with friends and supporters. I remain a member of the Board, but am stepping down as chair. Please reach out to the Board with questions, comments and suggestions by writing to board@tatacentre.com. Check in on this site after December 16th for an outline of the process we intend to use for community engagement between now and mid-January 2026. 

We welcome others to join us in the work that continues to put these precious lands back under Indigenous stewardship.  If you are interested in joining the Board, or a working group, during this transition period, please reach out to us and let us know.  Write to board@tatcentre.com.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the Centre.

Peace,

Karen Fish

David Fletcher

Natalie Abdou

Naima Chowdhury