KOOTENAY COLUMBIA SENIORS HOUSING COOPERATIVE
PRESENTATION by HARRY JUKES
PUBLIC HEARING
CITY of CASTLEGAR FORUM
April 16, 2007
We are certainly living in interesting times. It seems as if the services that we, as tax payers, had come to count on are being reduced on every front. These cuts have placed a hardship on almost all segments of the population – and perhaps, most severely on those members of the population requiring Health Care. As a result of these cuts, it became apparent to a group of us who are classified as seniors, that we would have to pool our resources and take on a portion of that job ourselves. You have heard from Elmer, some of the history of the Grandview Heights project. And it is little short of amazing to see how rapidly interest and participation in this project has grown. This is part of a process, which might be expressed as taking back our own power, rather than giving it to, and leaving it in, the hands of remote and apparently unfeeling bureaucrats.
Speaking for my wife, Nora, and myself, we joined this group just over a year ago. We joined because we liked the idea of a community – a group of individuals working together for a common purpose – a group of individuals who are ready to support each other when the need arises – a group of individuals who have a strong sense of caring and compassion – a group of individuals with a sense of commitment. You have already heard, and are aware, that this organization is a non profit cooperative, and none of it’s members receive any payment for the time they put in, travelling to meetings, (sometimes many miles and several times a week), involving themselves in work bees, and so on. This is true dedication. And, I also have to say, is very similar to the dedication that Council Members show when they represent the citizens of the City of Castlegar. I am constantly amazed at the good wishes, support and encouragement that different groups and individuals continue to give us.
I am not an Engineer myself, and I have never been involved in a project such as this before, where it is necessary to build streets, clear land, put in utilities, provide traffic studies, deal with different government departments, obtain various permits, and so forth. I find it very exciting, although, at times, frustrating as we seem to have to jump back and forth through the same ‘hoop’.
This is a project whose time has come. It is a new concept in Health Care, and people from all over the country, are watching our progress. It is a landmark undertaking and the City of Castlegar is not only the home, but also the accomplice, of this cooperative, non profit, project. It is up to us, as a community – not just this community of senior’s known as Grandview Heights, but the community of all the citizens of Castlegar and District, to help bring this project to completion.
These are exciting times – lets get on with it.