Members play table tennis at the Veiner Centre after it reopened in November after being closed for eight months due to the pandemic. The centre was forced to close again in December due to new public health restrictions. (CHAT News Photo/Ross Lavigne)

By Alex McCuaig

City continuing to evaluate

No decision yet on Veiner Centre operator

Jan 8, 2021 | 4:35 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The who and how of operating the city-owned seniors’ centre is still an open question, three months after the city put out a tender to find someone interested in the job.

At the same time, the city also developed its own plan which would provide an option to keep the operation municipally-run in whole or in part.

A decision was forecast to be made by the end of the year.

The city provided a statement in response to questions regarding the request for proposal (RFP) process.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

10h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

16h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

'Compassionate Friends' offer peer support for bereaved in Medicine Hat

Dec 11, 2024

“The city is continuing with an evaluation of the RFP submissions and is working towards bringing forward a recommendation to Public Services Committee,” reads the statement. “We have no new information to share at this time.”

Michele Winger, organizer with Veiner Centre Action Group, says she’s not too worried about a delay in a decision.

But she says she does want to see the seniors’ centre more responsive to the needs of those who utilize it.

“What I’d like to see from a new operator, or the city if they continue, is flexibility and willing to listen to the people using the facility and go back to things like using volunteers more like they use to,” said Winger. “That’s a way to bring costs down. It’s possible a third-party operator will be more open to using volunteers and not as afraid of various issues.”

The cost to run the building is also an issue.

Council members on the city’s public services committee have indicated they would like to decrease the municipality’s $1.4 million, tax-payer supported budget for the facility.

At the same time, they’d like to see the declining membership of the Veiner Centre reversed.

The centre is currently closed with the city saying it will reopen once provincal COVID-19 public health restrictions are relaxed.

The public services committee is scheduled to meet Monday in a closed-door session.