After being changed from a seniors club to a place for the whole community, the Humboldt Community Gathering Place has a new board of directors. The new board held their first official meeting as a full board on Mar. 9.
Since the board is still new they are just beginning to work out a strategy for what the plans are for the place but vice-president, Grant Hoffman, says the hope is that they can work out a strategy that will promote more use of the facility for recreation.
Board member, Shirley Guest, says that setting goals and objectives for the place are still being developed and they plan on setting those goals and objectives based on community needs.
One of the needs that the board has already identified as a need for the community is to provide a meeting place for youth.
“There is a huge gap in service in Humboldt in providing a centre for youth to meet and the community gathering place has ideal space for that to be able to happen,” Guest said.
While they are still unsure of exactly how the youth meeting place is going to be setup and work, Guest says they have started to look into it and have already invited youth to participate in information sessions.
Hoffman says he hopes that through promotion people will find that the place is a great spot to host events.
“The seniors will have a place to call home for their recreation and entertainment and it’s a good facility for people to rent for Christmas parties, any other activities, funerals and any other activity that can’t be accommodated by other facilities in town.”
One of the other things the Gathering Place is currently looking at is renovating the main entrance to make it more accessible for everybody. Since the main entrance has a flight of stairs leading into the upstairs and downstairs portions of the building anyone looking to access the facilities must be able to climb stairs or they are forced to come in the back door, which Guest says needs to change.
“People with disabilities should not come in on the wheel chair ramp at the back door… moms with strollers should not have to come up the back door… the same as everybody else, seniors citizens should be able to come in the front door and not walk up a flight of steps.”
Guest says it is really important to her to craft a manageable and working plan and strategy for the building.
“I have a huge belief in the potential for this building, in this location… and I think there’s a huge potential to expand it in every way.”
The Gathering Place has also hired Marie-Louise Ternier-Gommers as a part time administrator to assist in the promotion and day-to-day operation of the facility. Ternier-Gommers has been on the job for a number of months already and has been doing “a really good job”, says Hoffman.
