Editor, The Record:
Re: Seniors centre has existed on Taulbut Street since 2009, Sept. 29 edition.
The vain attempt by the Mission Seniors Centre Association (MSCA) president to extol the virtues of Mission council and accompanying self-aggrandizement are met with disdain by the vast majority of seniors who have heard the same rhetoric now some five years-plus, as MSCA continues to act as apologists and make excuses for council inaction.
There is no debate about the vast contributions made by volunteers and the recognition of their admirable efforts. Sadly though, as time-sensitive beings, we have lost too many, many more have quit out of sheer frustration at lack of progress wishing they could have a seniors centre within their lifetime.
The Elder Citizens Action Coalition expect council to designate the building now, as a temporary sole-use seniors activity centre, available 24/7 at the discretion of seniors to use at will, with a fee-for-service equal to existing operating budget. This entails no extra cost. This building was paid for by seniors’ taxes, as was the adjacent two acres, so no additional cost, except amenity fund contributions to build a new permanent centre and low-cost housing over the next three to five years.
The smoke and mirrors show by Mr. Sleigh is just that. Of course, a number of organizations have been tenants in the building for years, including drop-in, bingo, line dancing, crib, and it has been used for OAPO and MSCA meetings. Yes, the kitchen was renovated for use by all tenants and other non-seniors users of the building; yes, a small office and larger lounge are used by seniors, even the recent horseshoe pitch.
But there is a vast difference between being a tenant among others and being the sole tenant in your own facility, to use as you decide, and that dear readers, is the major difference of opinion.
If seniors have their own facility, they will attend, so MSCA must stop fighting senior colleagues, making excuses for council inaction and realize their mandate is to secure an activity centre post haste, and five years of failure is unacceptable.
Finally, the last paragraph by Mr. Sleigh about overruns, tax increases and compulsive spending is personal conjecture and redundant rhetoric of no substance.
George Evens
Mission