By Matt Pouncy

Strathcona Centre closing on Monday for renovations

Jul 13, 2018 | 5:12 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — It’s a popular place for our city’s seniors. The Strathcona Centre provides support to over 1,300 members and offers over 35 programs.

The centre is closing on Monday so work can start on upcoming renovations that include electrical upgrades, changes to washrooms that will make them more accessible, and storage additions to make room for more activities like a fitness centre.

The closure comes as the Veiner Centre is finally set to re-open. It suffered extensive damage in the 2013 floods and there was much debate about its future before a decision was made to repair it.

Randy Follett, manager of community connections and support with the City of Medicine Hat, says there will be a temporary lag in some services during the transition.

Young minds, big ideas: Elementary students learn about urban planning with 'Box City'

53m ago

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

“It’s all been expected because we’ve known that this renovation was going to start as soon as we finished with the Veiner Centre and got that open,” said Follett. “So, and we know there would be a little bit of a crossover time where we were going to have to shut everything down, just to make it work right for everybody.”

When the upgrades at the Strathcona Centre are complete, it will be an active space designed to get people moving, while the Veiner Centre will focus more on tabletop activities.

Beatrice May, receptionist at the Strathcona Centre, says everyone understands why the facilities will be closed for a week.

“They realize that it takes a little bit of time to renovate. The fact that they’re gonna remodel, and repaint and be more like a newer place again, I think they’re okay with that,” said May.

Meals on Wheels is another service that the Strathcona Centre offers, and Follett says that service will go uninterrupted during the transition.

“So, today we sent the Meals on Wheels out from here,” said Follett. “Over the weekend, we’ll do a complete move to the Veiner Centre, over to the new kitchen there, and as of Monday morning we’ll operate the Meals on Wheels right out of the Veiner Centre.”

Jacquie Heard, Meals on Wheels driver, has been delivering meals in the city for six years, and says the new space will make things easier for everyone.

“They finally have a kitchen that’s large enough to put the meals together,” said Heard. “I’ve been in wonderment at the people who are cooking the meals, that they’ve been able to do this. The kitchen is so small when you consider how many meals they’re putting together.”

Heard says for some people who use the service, it’s the only interaction they’ll have with someone all day.

The city will be hosting a grand re-opening ceremony for the Veiner Centre on July 24th from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

When the renovations are complete at the Strathcona Centre in the fall, the city will have two facilities for senior services in close proximity to each other.