A board set up in the Veiner Centre asking for feedback on Seniors' Services in Medicine Hat - Photo by Charles Lefebvre

By Charles Lefebvre

Have your say

Seniors’ services consultation session on Tuesday

Dec 13, 2019 | 4:58 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The City of Medicine Hat is looking at potentially revamping how seniors services are delivered in the city, and are looking for your opinions on what it should look like.

On Thursday, approximately 60 people showed up at the Veiner Centre to give their feedback on the current state of seniors services.

“We heard from them a number of ideas of what they’d like to see, what they’d like to take part in, how we might deliver those services,” said Leah Prestayko, general manager of community development with the city.

During the summer, the city announced it would be reviewing the current seniors’ service model. Currently, the city provides $1.4 million a year in funding to operate the Veiner Centre and the Strathcona Centre, which hosts clubs and activities for seniors.

Options include having the city keep funding the programs, or potentially contracting out seniors’ services. A final decision has not been made yet.

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Prestayko says with an aging population, it’s important to make the correct decision.

“Currently, over a third of residents in Medicine Hat are over the age of 50 and that demographic is only growing,” she said. “At the same time, we’re seeing our membership at the seniors centre decline. We have fewer people coming to use the services here. So, we need to know what it is that interests people, how they’re looking to spend their time, and look to reshape those services so we can provide more services to more people.”

A second public consultation will take place Tuesday at the Medicine Hat Public library beginning at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Those unable to attend the public consultation can fill out suggestions at the Veiner Centre or the Family Leisure Centre until December 23.

An online survey is also available here.

Prestayko says once the consultation is complete, they will review the responses and make a recommendation to council in early 2020.