Crowds of people gathered to celebrate the official opening of the Toronto Dominion (TD) Canada Trust bank in the Sechelt Indian Band's mall Feb. 2.
The bank, operating since mid-December, is the most recently completed phase in the ongoing development of the Tsain-Ko Shopping Centre. Today's elders conceived of the mall concept 25 years ago and various Band councils have been building on the idea ever since, said Chief Stan Dixon.
"It's a great day to have the opening finally," Dixon said during the opening ceremony. Dixon cut the ribbon with Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid. Reid congratulated the Band for putting the bank together and noted it will provide an "economic engine" for people here.
The day was also a long time coming for TD. For years, TD's goal has been to have a branch on the Sunshine Coast, said TD Pacific senior vice-president Suzanne Poole.
"It's our great pleasure to be here," Poole said. TD management from the Lower Mainland travelled to Sechelt for the opening ceremony. Band members, elders, local politicians, including Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons, and community members attended the ceremony.
Branch manager Brenda Santaga presented a $500 donation cheque to the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society. Elders performed a prayer and Eugene Harry from the Squamish First Nation drummed and sang a song. Harry thanked everyone who was involved in opening the building.
"Today we've got a special place to put our treasure," Harry said.
Next door, construction on Starbucks new outlet is well underway.
Project manager Bob Mason expects Starbucks will open its doors by early June. Dixon expects the atrium between the TD and Starbucks - with totem poles, a fountain and seating area - to also be ready by June.
Across the parking lot, construction of the next phase in the strip mall will begin at the end of February, according to Mason. The 20,000 square foot building will include a liquor store, dollar store, insurance agency and video store. Once construction is completed, likely in August, Mason said they will look at bringing local businesses into the vacant bays of the building.
