KAKABEKA — Senior recreation facilities are getting a funding boost from the province.
In an announcement on Tuesday, Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay - Atikokan, released details of close to $1 million that the province is investing in activity facilities across the region for seniors.
The over $925,000 funding will benefit 20 senior active living centres from east of Nipigon to Fort Frances.
Lucy Kloosterhuis, mayor of Oliver Paipoonge, said the funding is desperately needed for the Rural 60 Plus Centre.
"If we did not get these operating funds, we wouldn't be open," she said after the announcement at the facility.
She indicated that operating costs have continued to increase every year for the past four years.
"Hydro, telephone costs, building maintenance costs, all the costs that it takes to run a home. We do not have any paid staff; we're all volunteers but everything costs money to maintain."
Kloosterhuis described how important facilities for seniors are for the community.
"During COVID, people were stuck at home, especially seniors who didn't have transportation or couldn't go out to events . . .
"And then after COVID was over, what we tried is to have events to get people out of their homes, especially people who have lost their spouse, or some of them don't have vehicles, or their children live out of town . . . We try to get someone to pick them up and bring them out here so they can communicate with each other."
Holland said he's proud to help get funding to the region.
"I've had the opportunity to be at several of the active living centres across Thunder Bay, and the programming they're offering to our older adults is phenomenal.
"I see it in the faces of the people that participate, and they figure how much value they get out of the programs that are offered, so I couldn't be happier to be able to provide this funding."
Katie Nicholls is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Newswatch
