A continued push for a dedicated seniors centre.
Spokesperson Dennis Cochrane addressed Moncton City Council this week, to continue raising awareness of the need for a place where anyone over the age of 50 can go.
“We’ve developed a business plan. We formed a volunteer ad hoc committee of seniors who were willing to put their time together. We found the building at 1010 St. George Boulevard. We approached Rising Tide, and suggested what a great project this would be if Rising Tide took the top two floors and the other floor, 10,000 square feet was set aside as a new senior centre for Moncton,” Cochrane told Councillors.
The proposal is called Project 1010 Seniors Centre.
Rising Tide recently announced it had purchased the building with the plan to create senior housing on the top floors, and an opportunity to utilize the first floor for other community use.
Moncton has been without a dedicated Senior’s Centre since 2022 when the Moncton City Council repurposed the previous centre at the Lions Building on 473 St. George Street to provide essential services for the homeless. This closure marked the end of 50 years of service at that location.
Cochrane says there was a big need in 1974 when the previous centre was started, and there’s an even bigger need now.
“Mayor, you made a statement at the Moncton Chamber of Commerce. You commented, ‘The population increases necessary for the future, with thousands reaching retirement age. Those thousands are joining all the people out there already, and they’re looking for a place where they can meet one another, and take part in social activities, physical activities, and so on. It represents, right now, 25 per cent of the population of Moncton which is very significant.”
The proposal for the 10, 000 square foot space includes numerous activities such as yoga, calisthenics, card and board games, space for small banquets, a lending library, a computer room, a coffee area and meeting rooms accommodating 10 to 250 people.
Cochrane has also proposed a Wellness Centre, that will include working with balance, blood pressure, vaccines, financial pressures and more.
City Chief Administrative Officer Serge Doucet reaffirmed a desire to work with the group, “We are continuing to work with them on their proposal. I just want to make it clear to the council that we will be inviting the group to come back to the council in the coming weeks for any point of clarification, questions and details of their project. We have committed to come to a decision before the end of March.”
Seniors in Moncton were recently invited to complete surveys about future services and programming.
Cochrane says he is excited to hear the outcome, “That should give us a hint of some things that maybe we need that we haven’t thought of. We think it’s a limitless potential of what we can offer, primarily to seniors but not only to seniors.”
