News 1130
Sunday, January 19, 2014
By Renee Bernard

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Funding coming into place for Killarney Seniors' Centre

City of Vancouver will vote on motion to use surplus funds to bridge funding gap

VANCOUVER — It's wonderful, it's a miracle.

That's how the president of the Southeast Vancouver Seniors Arts and Cultural Society feels, with news the City of Vancouver will likely kick in the funds needed to finally start work on a new seniors' centre for the Killarney neighbourhood.

A motion to be debated by Vancouver council this week proposes surplus funds be used to bridge the project's $1.2 million funding gap.

The final pieces of the funding puzzle began to fall into place earlier this month, with Ottawa announcing its financial contribution.

The society's Lorna Gibbs says a seniors' centre is vital for their wellbeing.

"As spouses die, and children will move away, seniors can often go neglected and become isolated in their own homes. If they have somewhere go to on a daily basis they are more likely to remain active and connected to their community," she explains.

"We will have a good kitchen, a daily hot meal, a lounge area, craft rooms, and games rooms."

The $7.5 million dollar facility is to be located next to the Killarney Community Centre.

Seniors in the neighbourhood had lobbied for two decades to get the project off the ground.

Southeast Vancouver is home to approximately one third of all Vancouver seniors.

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