There’s some unfortunate news for seniors in Lake Cowichan as it looks like the seniors’ centre will be closing its doors. For just how long has yet to be determined, but it could be forever.
A general meeting of the Cowichan Lake District Seniors Association and the Lake Golden Agers Society — the two groups that run the centre — is slated for Tuesday night in an attempt to find a way to keep the centre up and running.
President Ginny Saboe said at this point the plan is to close the centre for the summer and then try to figure out a way to keep it open after Oct. 1.
“Our goal is to see if there’s any way we can possibly keep the centre running,” she said. “It’s very disheartening and very sad.”
As of June 23, however, the centre remains open.
“It is not closed,” Saboe confirmed. “It is still going as before except that we’ve had to give layoff notice to our three employees.”
Dwindling finances and not enough members stepping up to help are blamed for the pending closure.
“It’s been happening for years,” Saboe explained. “It’s just a gradual decrease of finances over the years.”
The truth of the matter, Saboe continued, “is you cannot run the centre on 50 people. We have a membership of 340. Of that membership we have 50 that really frequent the centre, volunteer, help with the kitchen. The rest of them come once a year to a banquet or a do and that’s about it.”
The Cowichan Lake District Seniors Association is responsible for the building and employees. The Lake Golden Agers Society handles membership and events.
Together they’ll try to find a solution.
We’ll put both boards together all summer long to look at the Society’s Act and assess the act to see what we can and cannot do,” Saboe said. “We have to figure out whats best for the community and what the community wants.”