Working to be the centre of the community again
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/04/2022 (419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
As we all likely know, the main purpose of community centres is to bring neighbours together to enjoy sports and recreation activities. Like many other venues for social gatherings, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affect the ability of community centres to serve their primary purpose.
April 11 is the date of the 2022 annual general meeting of Whyte Ridge Community Centre. Last year I reported that the board of directors was transitioning through a difficult period, with the loss of most of the executive and with COVID-19 constraints affecting almost all activities.
After a post-AGM meeting last year to discuss how to get things moving forward again, Kim O’Hara stepped in as president, with Chris Magura serving as vice-president. Both have been volunteers on the board for many years, working tirelessly in the background to help to get things done, and both decided that it was time to take a turn at the helm and begin to get organized for when residents could once again enjoy the community centre. Kim says her goal is to help energize the community centre and reconnect with the community it serves.
A big focus over the past year has been fundraising to improve the facility in anticipation of hosting activities this yea (assuming that COVID-19 issues will be manageable). The Pembina Active Living 55-plus group has settled into the building and much of the interior space has or will soon be renovated. Funding was also secured to renovate the building exterior and hockey pens, as well as to construct a splash pad this year, which is very exciting. The community centre has also applied for funding for several landscaping projects, and this year will also see the completion of the new segment of native prairie and installation of Trans Canada Trail signs for the interpretive trail.
Volunteers have come forward to fill several board position, and are bringing creative new ideas to communicating with the community through social media, organizing special events, and running the canteen. The various sports and fitness programs are filling up, and plans are underway to organize kids summer camps, involving sports, arts and crafts and science experiments.
All in all, an exciting year at the community centre seems to be taking shape. It’s a great time for new residents to get on board and help to organize things. The board is looking for a secretary and directors for activities/programming, basketball and house and grounds, as well as volunteers to help out on a short-term basis.
If you wanting to be part of something special this year, come out to the virtual AGM at 7 p.m. on April 11. Visit https://whyteridge.ca/wp-cc/2022/03/27/annual-general-meeting-2022/ for details.
Nick Barnes
Whyte Ridge community correspondent
Nick Barnes is a community correspondent for Whyte Ridge.