The Langley Senior Resources Centre is located within the City of Langley, but the benefits of membership extend beyond the City’s borders into the Township.
For that reason, said City councillor Dave Hall, it’s reasonable to expect the Township to provide some financial support for the struggling facility.
Hall made the comments on Monday, March 2, as council approved a list of community grants, including a $19,100 contribution to the Langley Senior Resources Society.
Of that, $4,100 is intended to help subsidize memberships for people who can’t afford to pay the full amount, while the $15,000 balance will be used to carry out roof repairs.
The City’s support of the centre has been extensive and ongoing, said Hall.
Last year, the municipality paid off the balance of the Senior Resources Society’s mortgage on its building. Up until then, the municipality had historically given an annual grant of $40,000 to help the society pay down the debt.
In addition, the City provides a tax exemption on the property, said Hall.
Membership in the centre is split roughly 50-50 between City and Township residents, said Hall.
“Might there be a greater contribution (from the Township)? I’ll leave it to them.”
On Tuesday, Hall told The Times he isn’t optimistic.
“At this point, it looks like there will be no contribution from the Township,” he said.
“Their position has been that (the seniors centre) is in the City and they’re not keen on funding something in the City.”
Hall’s remarks at the council table were made in support of an earlier effort by Langley Township Councillor Kim Richter to see $15,000 that was earmarked for a new charging station for electric cars, redirected to the Langley Seniors Centre.
Richter made the motion during a special budget meeting held on Saturday, Feb. 28, however it failed to find a seconder and died without discussion.
“I was absolutely stunned that nobody on council would second it for discussion,” Richter said.
The motion came in response to at least two requests from the Seniors Society for funding, she said.
“The first time was when the seniors’ bathing program was cut. They were looking for $29,000,” Richter said.
More recently, a delegation came before council, asking the Township to form a partnership that included providing more than $30,000 funding.
The Township has a seniors advisory committee and is therefore well aware of the issues facing seniors in the community, said Richter.
“The seniors hosted a campaign debate (before last November’s election).
“They made it clear how pressing the issues are.”
Less pressing, said Richter, is the demand for another charging station for electric vehicles.
There are currently six in the Township, and all of them, said Richter, are under-utilized.
“We don’t need another charging station.
“What’s puzzling to me,” she said, “is that we don’t get any money off these charging stations. We don’t build gas stations, so why are we building charging stations?”
Richter said she is not aware of any plans for the Township to provide funding for the seniors centre from another source.
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In all, 43 agencies, clubs and organizations in the City will share in more than $111,000 in grant money from the municipality this year.
On March 2, council unanimously endorsed the Community Grant Committee’s recommendation to support 44 organizations selected from 58 applicants with a total of just over $113,000 in grant money or in-kind donations.
The allocation of funds, which are taken from the City’s casino proceeds, range from a $184.80 in-kind donation to the Parkinson Society of B.C. to a $19,100 grant to the Langley Senior Resources Society.
Among the larger grants that will be awarded this year are an $8,000 in-kind donation of stage and rehearsal space for Bard in the Valley, which presents Shakespeare in Douglas Park each summer; $5,000 each for Sports Tourism, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Langley and the Langley Cares Society which operates Langley Lodge and a $12,175.50 in-kind donation to the Langley Good Times Cruise In.
As well, the Langley Lawn Bowling Club will receive $4,500, while the Douglas Park Community School Society and the Kiwanis Fraser Valley Music Festival Society have each been awarded a $4,000 grant.