In Squamish, one is as likely to be mountain biking and backcountry skiing at 65 as at 35. In an effort to take full advantage of infrastructure, the seniors’ activity centre is evolving into an adult activity centre.
The District has changed the seniors’ activity centre to the 55+ Activity Centre.
“I think it was fairly obvious the centre wasn’t meeting its potential, in numbers or visitations,” said Tim Hoskin, director of recreation services.
Coun. Karen Elliott said the District’s plan was to get away from the senior’s centre label and focus on activities and services.
“What we want to do is make it a hub for the community, but for adults. It’s like a Brennen Park for 55+ adults, that’s the focus, but also other adults. We really want to activate the 55+ Activity Centre, since ‘seniors’ isn’t a title everyone is comfortable with. I know people well into their 70s, even 80s who don’t call themselves seniors.”
That underscores the highly active lifestyle most Squamish residents live, and the need to create a broader focused activity centre.
“Adults in Squamish have a wide variety of interests, arts, culture, physical wellness, so the District wants to provide activities for residents whether they’re eight or 80,” said Elliott.
She added that the policy idea for the 55+ Activity Centre was driven by the District’s wish to activate an important asset, and the recommendations of a community advisory committee recruited to that end.
After a year-long consultation process, Hoskin said the advisory committee came up with 13 recommendations for the District, which included expanded hours, the overall comfort of the centre, improved programming and specific recommendations for social programs.
To date, social programming will involve steam lunches with presenters about potential or ongoing programs, or community professionals to talk about health and wellness, as well as entertainment. The policy was officially adopted by council this past July.
“I think the more active and involved people are that, hopefully, contributes to health in everyday life, and the social component is a part of that,” said Shannon Goestsch, one of the centre’s administrators.
To date, the physical improvements to the centre have involved mainly making it more inviting, with new couches, tables and a new coat of paint on the interior and new signage for the exterior. All this, and a new cafe, run by an outside partner, Caveman Grocer.
Hoskin said in the past, most visitors to the centre were a decidedly older demographic, but with the new, later hours, the centre has already experienced a changing demographic.
The centre had its official hard opening earlier this month, and already has several active program offerings for adults.
“We currently offer yoga, ball room dancing, and other fitness programs. Come spring and summer we’ll offer outdoor programming like cycling and walking or hiking, of course we’re always open to feedback and suggestions,” said Goestch. She noted that the District has had no problem finding qualified fitness instructors locally. “We are very blessed with the calibre of fitness in this community,” she said.
That, of course, extends to the community at large, and the reason the 55+ Activity Centre was created. However, as noted, programming is not all about fitness. Squamish has a vigorous arts community, and that too plays an integral role at the centre.
“We have a strong partnership with the arts council, and we’ve also been able to launch new arts programming in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health [art therapy],” said Hoskin.
There will also be expanded support groups, such as, speech therapy, caregiver support and wellness groups, and a brain conditioning program called SNAP - Synapses At Play, which is brain teasers for adults, designed to keep adult minds sharp.
To take part in any of the 55+ Activity Centre programs residents are encouraged to do so via the District website, squamish.ca.
