Local donations have provided the bulk of the funding for the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre (SSAC) renovations, despite efforts to net federal and provincial grants. The centre is undergoing an approximately $900,000 expansion project to accommodate its growing membership.
“The sticker shock of the actual price of the construction was a bit overwhelming,” said fundraising chair and SSAC board member Joanne Rykers at a Nov. 6 meeting where the latest donations were announced. She thanked the growing fundraising committee before announcing that Telus provided a grant for $20,000 through their Community Investment program, BA Blacktop provided an in-kind contribution of $5,500 to help with paving, and another in-kind donation came from Lehigh Materials. Earlier in the year, the centre received major donations from the Clayton family and an anonymous donor.
SSAC president Charlie Jensen told the auditorium that the centre has relied heavily on the community for financial support. He said both Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons and MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones were behind the project, but efforts to secure federal and provincial funding through infrastructure and gaming grants “fell behind other grant opportunities.”
“It’s you people, the local people and our local sponsors that are supporting this organization, not the national government or the provincial government,” Jensen told the audience of more than 100 members.
So far the fundraising committee has raised approximately $280,000, including $35,000 from individual members and smaller donations from local businesses. They are aiming to raise another $300,000 in order to be debt free. The committee continues to apply for private and public grants. The contingency fund is covering the rest.
The expansion project was expected to be completed by October but delays have pushed the estimate back to early December, with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for late January 2019. “For sure the building’s going to be ready by then,” Rykers said.
In the meantime, the centre’s popular lunch program remains on hold. Many activities have been ongoing since renovations began.
