Sooke seniors are shimmying towards a new seniors centre—lots of support is still needed

They’ve got the people, they’ve got the land—they just need the money to build.

A coalition of two Sooke organizations have a vision for an affordable seniors home and gathering centre. They want to supply some of the badly needed housing and a social place for seniors to join activities and access services.

With wholesome fundraising ideas like sandwiches for seniors at the Legion—where $5 from every sandwich sold goes towards the fund—a books for boomers collection and book sale, and an upcoming retro-themed dance, they’ve raised just above $72,000. But they need $2 million.

The two groups, Sooke Region Healthy Communities Network and the Sooke Seniors Drop-In Centre Society, decided earlier this year to merge their separate ideas of seniors housing and an activities centre into one project, dubbed The Gathering Place. Not only will this collaboration save on expenses like architects, engineers, and permits, but the building will become a hub for activity in Sooke.

“We haven't had a seniors centre in Sooke for over a decade,” said Christine Bossi, executive director of the Sooke Region Healthy Communities Network (SRHCN). The former meeting area was lost when the neighbouring dentist office expanded. For a few years they had a twice-weekly rental at the community hall, but that was interrupted by the pandemic.

The Drop-in Society has been looking for spaces to rent in Sooke, but they’ve all had physical barriers for people using wheelchairs or scooters. A dedicated, purpose-built seniors centre will fill a major gap in Sooke services.

The coalition is applying for a grant from BC Housing to fund the residential portion of the building, but there are no grants available that will cover the non-residential activities and events spaces. That’s what the $2 million fundraising goal is for.

Raffles, sandwich sales, dances, and auctions will only go so far, so Bossi is counting on large ticket donations from families.

“Everyone is getting older, right? So everyone is interested in investing in having a seniors centre in the community,” she said. “There are many people in this community who have made their their way nicely through through living here, so they can be possible donors.”

The District of Sooke provided the land, beside the new library on Wadams Way, for $3 a year, with back-to-back leases that add up to 100 years.

To donate visit The Gathering Place.