VANCOUVER — announce $1.2 million in additional funding towards a long-awaited seniors centre for southeast Vancouver.
In 2012 the province committed $1.3 million, less than the $2.5 million hoped for by the city and members of the Southeast Vancouver
Seniors' Arts and Cultural Society, including seniors activist Lorna Gibbs.
The additional provincial funding tops up the $1.2 million promised by the city in February, which followed their initial $2.5-million commitment made in 2011. The park board got the ball rolling in 2009 when it dedicated the land adjacent to Killarney Community Centre.
In January, the federal government got on board with a promise of $2.5 million so long as work got underway in 2014.
While there are seven seniors centres located west of Cambie Street, there are none in southeast Vancouver, home to one-third, or 27,000, of the city's seniors. Gibbs has lobbied tirelessly for more than a decade to encourage all three levels of government to work together to make the community's dream of a seniors centre a reality. She's been helped by longtime volunteers such as former Killarney Community Centre Association president Keith Jacobson.
Vision Vancouver park board chair Aaron Jasper told me that while none of the Vision commissioners were invited to the announcement, they're all delighted the project will finally move ahead.
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