- By NANCY WEATHERLEY

At W. ‘Van centre

ENTER the Senior ‘Citizents Activity Centre in
West Vancouver and you are struck by its modern
character and space. Turn immediately to the left

‘and you face a beautiful and meticulously worked

quilt hanging in the entrance hall.

The quilt is the work of
many hands and portrays all
the different activities and
clubs in. the centre as well as
_ giving a pictoral history of

- the activity centre..

_ It is’just, one example of
the time and effort seniors
have contributed to help
make their centre a success,

The building is striking

from the outside, and the

‘architect, Robert Burgers,
won an award of excellence
for it. ~
' Open since June, the

. activity céntre was -financed
by all three levels of
government and is a modern
oddity in that it was built
under budget.

The interior of the

building centres around a
~ hexagonal courtyard which,
along with the many
skylights, gives lots of light
and a feeling of space.

First on the tour is the

office. It features a large
reception area, manned by
senior volunteers, and a
poster-size. royal wedding

-picture (the wedding was an
important event at the
activity centre, celebrated
by a wedding tea with royal
films, crumpets and tea).

Although it is the brain of
the centre, the office is

economically staffed with
only three paid staff to serve

_a membership of about 1500.

But, as activity centre
director Sheila Jones points
out, a great deal happens in
the office. A community
health nurse comes to the
office once a week, legal and
accounting students give
casual help, and a family
services counsellor will soon
be available.

The activity centre office
is also the. home of the
Senior Citizen's Special
Services Committee. This
group of about 50 volunteers
is involved in helping other
seniors in small but vital
ways.

They phone about .

people daily, people iho are are.

alone, or sick, or recently
bereaved, just as a friendly
contact and support line. —
They also visit and read to
people, shop, or write letters
for them, and they operate a

limited transportation
service.
But one of the most

popular services the com-
mittee provides, says Vice
President Ivor Crimp, is a
hairdresser.

The centre boasts many
activity rooms.

The music room, first on

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the-tour, is the home of the
Singing Ukeleles, a group
which is very popular with
the seniors.. The room
features a piano, which was
purchased through the

fundraising efforts of the.

Singing Ukeleles. ~~.
There is a large, pleasantly

. furnished lounge area for the

less industrious, which offers
a drop-in coffee and tea
time. The lounge. is. nicely

situated between the central °

courtyard and an atrium
which will soon be used for a
plant therapy program.

Next on the tour is a multi-

. Purpose activity room. With

adjustable lighting. and
adjacent kitchen, this room
can accomodate a large
scale banquet, an exercise
class, and many things in
between.

New Horizons,
seniors’ group,

another
arranged

funding from: the federal
health and welfare depart-
ment for a sound system for

the activity room. They also
supplied the dishes for the
kitchen — which is equipped
to give cooking lessons as
well.

Referring to groups such
as New Horizons, Jones said,
“Working volunteers are our
tapline into the community.”

With such a small staff,
the centre must draw on its
own membership § for
organizing and = running
many of the programs. The

CONTINUED ON PAGE C2

e

TELEPHONE CON-
TACT is an important
function of the Senior
Citizens Special Ser-
vices Comnflttéé.
Volunteer Helen Martin
mans the telephone
while Vice-President
Ivor Crimp and
volunteer Diane Opsahl _
look on. (Terry Peters
photo)

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