It was a big day for the Mission Seniors Centre Association.
On Thursday (March 28) morning, representatives from the Mission Community Foundation arrived at the seniors centre and presented a cheque for $500,000 to go towards the construction of a new facility.
The funds were part of the Marilyn Boswyk Memorial Fund.
“Marilyn Boswyk, when she passed away, left a legacy fund for the seniors centre. Half a million dollars for capital and half a million dollars to be invested and proceeds from the investment to be used annually for operating,” explained Bob Ingram, President of the Mission Seniors Centre Association.
The money presented today is for the capital project now underway with the District of Mission and the Mission Association for Seniors Housing.
READ MORE: Seniors centre takes step forward
The project is to construct a new seniors centre adjacent to the Mission Leisure Centre, with senior living spaces above it. Construction is expected to begin in late August.
“It’s thrilling to have this actually happen, it’s been a lot of years,” said Ingram, who thanked the Mission Community Foundation for helping to make it happen.
MORE: Funding for seniors housing
Rosemary Nemanishen, Board Chair of the Mission Community Foundation, said it was a big day.
“It’s very exciting to be here to share with the seniors centre the cheque for $500,000 that we have been holding for the last five or six years while we waited for them to get all their ducks in a row,” said Nemanishen.
The foundation will continue to support the new centre, with more money.
“We have the other $500,000 that’s invested and we will be giving them yearly grants for operating from that money.”