A $900,000 renovation project to expand and update the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre (SSAC) was completed in December and the doors are open once again for lunch.
The centre received its occupancy permit on Dec. 7 and began serving lunch in mid-December. It closed temporarily during the holidays and as of Jan. 2 has been operating regularly.
“The response we have had is that the workmanship is excellent. People are very impressed with the addition and renovation,” said centre president Charlie Jensen.
The centre is charging “slightly” more for its popular midday meal because of the increased cost of food, but patrons can still “have a full hot homemade lunch for less than $10” from Monday to Friday. Frozen entrées are also available.
The centre has also been forced to increase the cost of its membership from $25 to $30, due to the renovations. This marks the first membership increase in 10 years, Jensen said.
The centre has raised $400,000 to cover the cost of construction – which included extending the front of the centre by five metres, adding a dining room and updating the kitchen, including the addition of a walk-in freezer. “We probably have the finest kitchen now on the Sunshine Coast,” Jensen said.
The fundraising committee will continue to pursue grants and other funding opportunities over the next year to offset the $250,000 mortgage used to help pay for the renovations, which were initially estimated to cost $800,000 and to be completed in October.
An opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for Jan. 19 at the centre.
