Christian Gammon-Roy
Tribune
Crystall Falls may soon have its very own community and social hub, a revival of sorts for the old Club Bons Amis site on Crystal Falls Road. Through the work of resident René Daoust, and the support of both West Nipissing Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon and Ward 5 councillor Kaitlynn Nicol, the proposed social club is gaining some interest in the small community. Hoping to bring residents together, and perhaps even attract visitors to Crystal Falls, Daoust sees the club as a way to get people connected in a part of West Nipissing that some might consider isolated.
Daoust explains that he has been a resident of Crystal Falls for around 5 years, and in that time, he’s gotten to know his direct neighbours, but not as many as he would like in the small community. In a document outlining his plans and vision, he points out that Crystal Falls is home to roughly 150 people, but that they “face challenges when it comes to maintaining social connections and gathering spaces.” A part of that is certainly the geography, as Crystal Falls makes up a large, sparsely populated land-area – with Daoust reaching out to residents all the way to Tomiko Lake – with some residents quite far from their closest neighbours.
Despite this, Daoust believes that there is plenty of interest, and easily enough people to maintain a vibrant club. He stresses that it would not be an age-restricted club, but a community hub for all residents and visitors, not a golden age club for example. When talking about potential club activities, he foresees the usual gatherings involving dinners and events at the local hall, but he also hopes to see some programming and community support like childcare programs, or even just doing outreach for a community member in need. “A lot of people that need help won’t come forward. When you have something like this, you see someone struggling, you can approach them better. You get to know people, they don’t feel as intimidated, it breaks the ice,” Daoust explains.
