The St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club is taking a major step forward in its plan to create a new multi-use facility.
Leslie McEachern, executive director of the downtown facility, requested $18,000 from council Monday night so the group can hire a company to create a preliminary design and business plan for a new building. The conceptual work is needed so the centre can apply for government grants to help pay for a new building.
“We need a new building,” McEachern said in a phone interview. “Because of the age and the extensions to the building, you never know what will come next.”
McEachern told council the seniors’ club has discussed the idea of partnering with several other community groups that would be housed in the new building, including St. Albert Parents’ Place, Community Information and Volunteer Centre, Stop Abuse in Families and Family and Community Support Services (FCSS). The final number of groups that would use the space would be dependent on the findings of the report, she said.
“We need to make strategic recommendations to city council about the senior citizens group,” she said.
McEachern later said it’s her hope the new building would allow for intergenerational activities on site, and let many community groups that are currently renting space combine their resources for a permanent home. She added that “very preliminary sketches” would be part of any upcoming budget request, giving everyone an idea of what the final product could look like.
Scott Rodda, director of St. Albert FCSS, said his department is very supportive and willing to help out in any project that would allow for more community engagement and access to services.
“As an acting partner in the community, providing services, we will do everything and anything we can to help them and potentially be partnered with them in terms of sharing space and infrastructure,” said Rodda.
Though council unanimously approved the $18,000, city manager Bill Holtby explained there are no dollars in the current budget for building a new seniors’ centre. He said it’s unclear what kind of financial commitment would be coming from the city, if any, should a formal request arrive.
The current seniors’ club is located on land that falls within the Sturgeon River flood plain elevation, which could limit the potential development of the site. Holtby said redevelopment would still be possible, but it would also be difficult to find another location for the facility.
“Within the community, we don’t have any space ready to drop a building into,” said Holtby, adding that the site could be part of the downtown area redevelopment plan.
McEachern said building costs are still an unknown, but added the consultant report should provide better working figures going forward. The report should be completed by May 1, giving the community groups time to apply for grants and present findings to city council before budget meetings in the fall.
The club will be looking at grants from all three levels of government, she said.
The club explored the idea of a public-private partnership several years ago, but that idea went south with the economic downturn, she said.
