Taking a cooperative approach may result in a massive expansion for the Victoria Park Seniors Centre in Fergus.
At its Dec. 9 meeting Centre Wellington council agreed to direct staff to establish an agreement with the Fergus Temple (Masons) organization based on the principles listed within a report to expand the Victoria Park Seniors Centre.
Part of that agreement includes a $100,000 donation towards the main expansion and renovation of the centre, which has been identified as a priority in 2014 based upon present needs and future growth.
Officials are looking to expand the centre’s program space by a minimum of 3,000 square feet on one level and to renovate the remaining 6,300 square feet of the building.
The amount of capital funding required for the expansion depends on funding from the township’s capital budget, money raised by the senior centre membership, and other funding opportunities which suit the overall development of the senior centre.
On hand for the presentation were managing director of community services Brian Detzler and the centre’s advisory board chair Norma Siebert.
Detzler called this a cooperative expansion of the seniors centre. The potential partnership with the Fergus Temple would result in an additional 1,200 square foot expansion – above the proposed 3,000 square foot addition. Detzler said proponents have done their due diligence to see if the additional expansion could be accommodated on the existing site. He added that based on the principles of the report, the intent is to pursue a legal document to proceed with the expansion.
He said the potential partner would pay for the construction costs of its 1,200 square foot portion of the building, but the township would maintain ownership of the building.
In exchange for building onto the seniors centre, the Fergus Temple is providing a $100,000 cash donation towards the main centre addition.
The Fergus Temple addition basement would also provide additional space, half of which would be exclusively used by the Masons, while the remainder could be accessed by the seniors centre.
Detzler said there would be an annual rental income for common space and use of the parking lot.
He said the recommendation is for two, 20-year lease agreements with the township for the exclusive use of the main floor (of the Temple portion of the building and half of the basement space in the addition).
The term will be renegotiated at the end of the second 20-year agreement based on the financial viability of the Mercer and Irvine Lodge.
Councillor Fred Morris said a resident of his ward is concerned the agreement would set a precedent and the potential for discriminatory practices in the future as a result of “allowing public land to be used by a private enterprise.”
Council intends to have a clear legal agreement spelling out the roles and responsibilities of each partner – in advance of the construction.
Councillor Kelly Linton said the expansion has been on the books for a long time and “the seniors centre is growing by leaps and bounds.”
Linton said he believed the Victoria Park Seniors membership is almost unanimous in its support of the project.
“For a number of reasons, this is a really good investment for our seniors community,” said Linton.
Detzler noted that including the Masonic addition, the estimated value of the work is just over $1 million and brings the overall size of the building to 10,500 square feet (existing 6,300 square feet, proposed expansion, 3,000 square feet and Fergus Temple addition 1,200 square feet).
While the majority of the funding will come from the township, Siebert said seniors members have set aside a $150,000 contribution in support of the project.
“The centre is a vital part of our community and so important to the lives of hundreds of individuals and families,” she said.
Council agreed to move the project forward, starting with the drafting of a legal agreement.
