Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

BUILD KAMLOOPS INITIATIVE

Kamloops Seniors Community Centre officially opens as hub for seniors activity on the North Shore

Sep 9, 2024 | 5:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — The first project among the city’s Build Kamloops plans had its grand opening Monday (Sept. 9). The Kamloops Seniors Community Centre is now operating in the former North Shore Community Centre site attached to Cottonwood Manor.

The city took over the lease for the 12,000 sq. foot space in August of this year and the facility will be run by the Kamloops Centre for Seniors Information.

Linda Stride, the city’s Recreation, Health and Wellness Supervisor, says it was a ‘right place, right time’ scenario. The Recreation Master Plan in 2019 had identified a need for another seniors centre and it was a prioritized discussion during Build Kamloops planning.

“That was the number one priority for them,” says Stride. “We needed to figure out how we can get programming back for seniors.”

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Then earlier this year, the North Shore Community Centre Society dissolved and ended its time in the Cottonwood Manor location. At that time, the city was approached by the Nor Kam Seniors Housing Society to take over the lease.

“It really was a no-brainer for us to engage with them and explore an opportunity to be able to lease the facility,” notes Stride.

A city lease, run by the Kamloops Centre for Seniors Information, which will have a variety of drop-in activities and classes by-registration. Executive Director Brandi Allen says the facility will offer similar social activities as were once hosted out of the now-shuttered Brocklehurst Seniors Centre.

“We absolutely felt such a gap in the community when we shut down Brock. For over a year, we’ve been kind of scrambling and working with the city to try and figure out how we could make this happen as quickly as possible, because the need for it from a social perspective is very obvious to us,” reiterates Allen.

Seniors who came out for the grand opening say it fills a gap on Kamloops’ North Shore.

“With different seniors centres closing on the North Shore, this was definitely needed overall,” one man told CFJC. “And (judging) by the crowd we had here today, it looks like it’s pretty interesting.”

“I think it’s fabulous, and about time. I think it’s great,” another woman added.

“Oh, it’s very good, and for the community, it’s wonderful,” says a neighbourhood resident. “I only live two blocks from here — it takes me 10 minutes to walk.”

A full calendar of events at the Kamloops Seniors Community Centre can be found on CSIKamloops.ca.