Something to celebrate

Colorful streamers burst into the sky, blessings were said and a grand entry marked the day Marimn Health and The Coeur d'Alene Tribe finally celebrated as a community the opening of the new Coeur Center.

"This is a game changer for our community," Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan told The Press. "When I was growing up, we didn’t have anything like this. We always dreamed of having our own fields and I know that this will make such a big difference for so many of our youth growing up on our reservation."

The more than 32,000-square-foot Coeur Center at 43935 S. Highway 95 first opened in December 2020, but grand opening ceremonies were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, the focus of the Coeur Center was primarily to serve children on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation with the goal of providing a safe place and to address immediate health, safety and food insecurities. Tribal members and Marimn Health are pleased to now be able to celebrate the completion of the building and its amenities, which are open to the entire community.

The center's many amenities include: an artificial turf football/soccer field; outdoor track; two softball fields; outdoor basketball court; pavilion and picnic area for the community; concession stand; indoor family water park with a waterslide, indoor splash pad with zero-depth entry and children’s play area, a lazy river, two lap lanes and an area for aquatics classes; dedicated space for the Boys and Girls Club of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe programs, including a technology center, teen center, art room and activity spaces; gymnasium line for basketball, volleyball and pickleball with bleachers and scoreboard; small fitness area; community rooms; and outdoor kids playground and indoor kids play area.

Marimn Health CEO Janice Jordan said to see this kind of state-of-the-art facility in Worley is almost like a miracle.

"Our kids will have so many opportunities to do things that previous generations couldn’t even dream of doing," she said. "Kids will get to play football at their home field on an artificial turf field under the Friday night lights, do science experiments during the programs at the Boys and Girls Club of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, learn about tribal culture through arts and crafts, learn to be comfortable in the water and learn to swim and so much more that will enrich their lives."

She said health is about more than just the physical being.

"It’s also about where we live, learn, work and play," Jordan said. "These so-called social determinants of health shape each of us no matter where we live. We know that our reservation youth are 2.5 times more likely to experience trauma and grief, which puts our kids at increased risk of relationship problems, drug and alcohol abuse and a litany of other lifelong problems. Our goal is to reduce these health disparities, improve health outcomes and increase the odds that our kids will succeed in school, and hopefully break some of the destructive cycles our kids face. In other words, this is an investment in our community that we believe will bring a tremendous return for generations to come."

She said one of the really neat things about the Coeur Center is it offers holistic care, support and resources to help youth succeed.

"At the Coeur Center through the Boys and Girls Club of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, we have behavioral health counselors working with our staff and our kids every day during normal programming," she said. "This allows our youth to develop a positive relationship with a counselor, which has several impacts. It gives the children another positive role model and a relationship with a behavioral health professional, but also reduces the stigma of going to see a counselor when they need to because that trust and that relationship is already there."

Allan said the Coeur Center will provide opportunities for children to learn and grow, from sports and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities to art and swimming.

"This is the first time we have ever had a dedicated space for our youth," Allen said. "We know that they are safe after school and in the evenings."

He said the Coeur d’Alene Tribe has a history of creating progressive solutions that serve the needs of the greater community.

"We are proud to have built this incredible investment in our kids’ futures," Allan said. "The Coeur Center is more than just a recreation center – it is another progressive solution we hope will help provide kids with the support and resources they need to overcome life’s challenges so they can lead healthier lives."