The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Rotary Club of Flin Flon is making a strong push for donations in hopes of keeping the dream of a new seniors' housing complex alive. The service group wants to build a 16-suite complex at Rotary Court, but must have at least $300,000 lined up within several weeks if the project is to come to fruition. "When you say $300,000, it seems like a lot, yet if you had 300 people give $1,000 each or 3,000 people give $100 each, you can certainly get there," said Rotarian Dave Kendall. "The Rotary Club certainly appreciates whatever commitment people can give, no matter what size." Having already set aside a substantial portion of the $300,000 goal, the Rotarians this week have been writing to businesses, organizations and individuals asking them to consider a donation. The club originally envisioned a much larger complex, one that would include 38 suites, but the project had to be scaled down to 16 suites when the federal and provincial governments, through the Affordable Housing Initiative, declined to allocate the necessary funds. The governments did, however, commit $1 million to the endeavour, and now the club is waiting for clarification as to whether that money will apply to the downsized facility rather than the original project. The Rotarians expect to hear back on that matter within the next three weeks. It's possible the governments will provide less than $1 million or decline funding altogether. "We'd like to believe the million dollars they approved is still there," said Kendall. But if there is no money on the way, the project cannot take place. And if the funding is less than $1 million, the Rotarians will look at raising the shortfall themselves. Once the funding situation is clear, the club must know how much money it has available through donations. "We're not asking for actual dollars at this time, just the commitment," said Kendall. The club, Kendall said, is eager to contribute as much of its own cash as possible to see the new two-storey complex go ahead. "I would say that over the past couple of years, we tucked away what we could for this project," he noted. The Rotarians, who make senior initiatives a priority, see the project as a way to address the shortage of local retirement housing. "If the only places that have these kinds of facilities available are outside of our community, then unfortunately, people are going to leave," said Kendall. "We would like them to stay in our community." If all of the pieces fall into place, the best-case scenario would see construction on the facility begin before winter, but it may be next spring before contractors arrive at the site. The complex would be built in the open area at Rotary Court, another seniors' housing initiative of the club, along the straight gravel road leading to the rear of the existing complexes. The building would feature 10 two-bedroom apartments and six with a single bedroom. Rents won't be subsidized and will be specified by the governments under the Affordable Housing Initiative. Due to the complexities of the project, it is not yet known whether donations will be tax-deductible. The club is therefore asking people to commit to two amounts ? one if their donation is deductible, the other if it is not. Anyone interested in making a donation may phone 687-6488 or 687-5277 for more information.
