It’s our birthday… and you’re invited!

The organization was originally formed to offer therapeutic woodworking programming and quickly gained momentum. Over the years our reputation grew and our solid wood products were recognized across the province for their superior quality and hand-crafted workmanship.

Although we have grown and diversified into a multi-faceted social enterprise, LakeCity Woodworkers is still at the heart of the organization. We have a team of highly skilled woodworkers who work closely with participants and together create the beautiful solid wood furniture that we’re so proud of.

As a non-profit, our participants are central to all we do.

Our core mandate is to serve people living with mental illness to access employment opportunities, gain new skills and benefit from a sense of connection and belonging. As an action-oriented organization, we deliver on this mandate through the building of products and delivery of services.

Participants have been central to our woodworking since the beginning and continue to be so. It begins when a customer walks into our Windmill Road store and is able to enjoy our pieces free of dust. For anyone who has spent time in a woodshop, you’ll know what an ongoing task that is. As well as dusting, participants enjoy greeting customers and sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for what we do.

Once an order is placed, the woodshop team swing into action.

Woodworkers will review the specifics of the order, including production of a custom drawing if needed. The wood species is specified in advance by the customer with wormy maple being a particular favourite. Participants help throughout the sanding, planning and panel making processes. Woodworkers will then use the panels to produce the components from the cut sheet and begin construction. Participants support this process too, taking the opportunity to learn and helping out as the piece takes shape.

With the raw product built, the next step is for it to move to finishing. This is where it is reviewed independently for quality and additional sanding happens on the unit as a whole. Once the piece is fully prepared, the team complete the finish which is at least a two-coat process to ensure our high expectations are met. This may be a stain or a paint, depending on the customer’s choice. LakeCity carries over twenty-five finish options as standard and is also able to source additional custom colours on request. Participants are engaged throughout the finishing process too where a keen eye and steady hand are always invaluable.

The final phase is the shipping where products must once again pass rigorous quality control checks. Once approved, the items are carefully wrapped, loaded into our cube van and delivered personally throughout Nova Scotia. The team take pride in delivering and installing our furniture with care, the same care that they know has been invested in the piece by so many people throughout it’s time with us.

After fifty one years of building, we are proud to say that there are great many pieces of LakeCity furniture in homes and businesses across the province.

It continues to be a passion for us and as we celebrate our anniversary, we hope to be here for at least another fifty years, making a difference to our participants and building beautiful products in the process.

We would love to share this passion with you in person. Do come and visit our showroom and see our furniture first hand. We’re celebrating our birthday with a special anniversary sale which includes discounts of up to 25%. Whether you’re looking for bedroom furniture, dining sets or storage solutions, the LakeCity team has you covered.

LakeCity: Always a good choice.  Learn more about them here.