Supplemental Grant Request Information - Juan de Fuca Senior Citizens Association

Juan de Fuca Senior Citizens Association

Town of View Royal – Grant-in-Aid Application

Applicant

Juan de Fuca Senior Citizens Association BC Society Number S-0015921 1767 Island Hwy Victoria, BC V9B 1J1

Contact Information

Donna Selbee, Board Director

Ruth Reynolds, Treasurer

Organization Objectives and Services

The Juan de Fuca Senior Citizens Association exists to enhance the lives of those 55 years of age and older. Our Constitution states:

The purposes of the Society shall be to foster and promote activities at the 55+ Activity Centre to enhance the lives of persons age 55 or older and for the raising of funds for the operation of the Centre by means of dances, craft sales, bingo, raffles and casino’s, while not being limited to these fund raising activities and by entering into a partnership agreement with the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society for the joint operation of the Juan de Fuca 55 Plus Activity Centre, located at 1767 Island Highway Bldg 3, Victoria, B.C. V9B 1J1.

Our programs and services provide opportunities for social engagement, learning and skill development, physical fitness, personal fulfilment and fun for seniors in our community.

Programs and services for seniors have been offered at our current location for over 40 years.

The Centre’s programs and services address social isolation amongst older people – a growing concern for Canadians. A 2019 BC Centre for Disease Control report identified increased social isolation rates and found that a “lack of social support had been linked to poor mental health, as well as poor physical health outcomes”. Our Centre provides programs and services that support the health (physical and mental), connection (social and community networks), and enrichment (learning) of our members.

Those 55+ in the Town of View Royal are able to access a wide range of programs and services for a very reasonable fee. Twelve percent of members participating at the Centre come from the Town of View Royal. This is the third largest number of participants by municipality. The Centre serves members from ten municipalities and Sooke.

The popularity of the Centre’s offerings is a strong indication they are meeting a need in the community. The Centre was expanded in 2011 to accommodate our growing membership, now over 1,270. Today, many classes and activities are near to, or full, so the Centre is looking at expanding the hours of operation to support additional classes and activities.

Volunteer and Citizen Participation

The Centre is managed, governed and operated wholly by volunteers, there is no paid staff, with the exception of custodial services provided and funded by Westshore Parks and Recreation Society (WSPR) as part of our partnership agreement. Revenue from membership fees is paid to WSPR in lieu of rent. The Association is responsible to raise all funds required for the delivery of programs and services.

Volunteers deliver the following programs and services:

• Over 120 classes and activities geared to a wide variety of interests, including Arts, Cards, Computer, Dance, Exercise, Games, Hobbies, Crafts, Languages, Learning, Music and Drama, Shops and Power Tools and Walking Groups.
• Over 100 entertainment events annually. For example, speakers, monthly birthday celebrations, movie afternoons, bridge socials, monthly Games Day, Friday night dances, special event dinner dances, and music, dance and drama events. Some events are open to the public.
• Day and overnight trips. Thirty-nine trips were offered in 2019. Destinations included museums, distilleries, wineries, lavender farm, farmers market, airport, art gallery, theatre, radio station, to name a few.
• Low cost, healthy snacks, and hot and cold lunches at our in-house café. This service is open to the public.
• A small lending library.

The fee structure at the Juan de Fuca Seniors Centre ensures seniors at all income levels can access and participate in a wide variety of programs and maintain important community connections through social, educational and recreational opportunities.

A major barrier to participation for seniors is cost. The annual membership fee is modest ($107 for 2019/20) and allows members to participate for free in all classes and activities, as room allows. Members only pay for materials/equipment that may be needed to participate in a specific class/activity. If members meet the income requirements of the L.I.F.E. Program (Leisure Involvement For Everyone), the annual fee is reduced by one-half ($53.50 in 2019/20). Members who reach of the age of 90 no longer pay the annual membership fee. Our approach to encouraging participation is different from many senior centres that charge on a per class/activity basis, which can add up quickly, be a financial burden and limit participation.

The Juan de Fuca Senior Citizen Association closed the 55+ Activity Centre on March 13, 2020 due to the risk of members transmitting COVID-19 within the facility, and the greater negative health outcomes this disease can have on an older, more vulnerable population. The closure has eliminated our ability to raise funds, despite having ongoing, core operational expenses. During the Centre’s closure, West Shore Parks & Recreation Society entered into an agreement with Island Health to use a portion of the building for a COVID-19 testing station, recently extended until the end of October 2021. The Association plans to reopen the Centre as soon as the full facility is available for use and it is safe to do so while following all public health guidelines.

Nature and Goals of the Project and Benefits to the Town of View Royal

The Juan de Fuca Senior Citizens Association is requesting a grant-in-aid for $2,300 to purchase a hands-free door opener for one of six washroom doors at the Centre. The Association will pay the $1,020 for installation. The door opener would be installed on one of our gender inclusive washrooms.

This funding request is part of a multi-year project to install hands-free door openers on six washroom doors in the Centre. The total cost of the project is $20,160. The Association will also be applying for financial assistance from the City of Langford and the City of Colwood, as well as looking for other sources of financial assistance to complete this project.

Hands-free door openers is one of the risk reduction measures identified in the Association’s COVID-19 response and recovery plan, will be beneficial during regular flu and cold seasons, and will support increased accessibility for members with physical challenges.

The benefits that would be realized by funding this request are twofold:

• Support the health and safety of members. Hands-free doors will reduce the transmission of germs. Washroom doors, a high contact surface, are a hazard for transmission of COVID-19, and other diseases and illnesses. Eliminating this hazard is extremely important, especially given the higher negative outcomes illness has for those of this age group. Reducing the transmission of germs will not only be a benefit during the pandemic, but especially during annual flu and cold seasons.
• Increase members’ independence and improve their experience at the Centre. By making washrooms more accessible, members with reduced hand /arm strength or those using walkers, wheelchairs or other mobility enhancing devices that have difficultly or require assistance to open washroom doors will regain their independence.

All members, including those View Royal seniors using the Centre, would realize the benefits noted above.

Project Budget

Annual Total reflect the costs to complete 3 doors each year