Cottonwood (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

BUILD KAMLOOPS

First Build Kamloops project, a new seniors community centre, expected to open this summer

Jun 26, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Potentially lost behind the news of the performing arts centre in downtown Kamloops, a new multiplex ice facility along hillside drive and a proposal to bring on $275 million dollars worth of long-term debt to finance the Build Kamloops program, was the announcement of a seniors community centre re-opening on the North Shore.

It will be the first Build Kamloops project to be completed, when the seniors community centre opens later this summer at the Cottonwood.

“This 12,000 sq.ft facility in the heart of the North Shore will fill a key gap in the community and support seniors in staying active, healthy and connected,” said Kristen Rodrigue, City of Kamloops communications manager. “This collaborative initiative will include the development of additional parking alongside the Kamloops Christian School sports field which will improve accessibility to the facility.”

While the city will be taking over the lease, it has contracted the Kamloops Centre for Seniors Information (CSI) to help run the facility.

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“It’s amazing. It’s absolutely needed in the community, obviously,” said CSI Executive Director Brandi Allen. “We had the Brock [Activity] Centre for 12 years so we know firsthand how needed this space for socialization is for older adults. We have been working diligently with the city behind the scenes for months trying to figure out how to make this happen.”

CSI Kamloops was forced to close the doors to the Brock Activity Centre last year and the impacts have been noticeable for their clients.

“Social isolation is devastating to the overall health of anybody, but unfortunately, we see it a lot more in our older adults,” said Allen. “We shut down the Brock Activity Centre just over a year ago now and even in this last year we have seen a huge decline, unfortunately, in a lot of the people who used to come there and we would see everyday.”

Cottonwood is well situated on the North Shore, close to transit hubs and should be in a better location for seniors with mobility challenges to be able to visit the centre.

“Even the seniors in the community who aren’t comfortable physically coming to a different location for socialization, it gives us an opportunity to do more outreach and to have conversations with neighbours and friends and loved ones that are coming in who have someone that they are concerned about that doesn’t want to come. It opens up a few more doors for us in regards to connecting with people who are isolated,” said Allen.

Unlike the performing arts centre and new four-plex arena, which requires $275 million dollars of long-term debt, the community centre is already covered.

“The cost for the Kamloops senior’s community centre including short-term improvements and the ongoing lease and operations are funded through existing funds,” stated Rodrigue.

The city takes over the lease on August 1 and CSI Kamloops expects a soft launch later that month.