"I am really happy with the turn out," said Humboldt Seniors Club president Marguerite Cunningham, in regards to the public meeting held Wednesday, March 6.
The purpose of the meeting was to start investigating partnerships in the community to keep the hall open and operating.
Having recognized their financial inability to sustain the hall located at 701 6th Avenue in Humboldt for the long-term, the seniors group met with the City of Humboldt's council in November and then discussed the situation at their AGM on February 7.
Invitations were extended to all the non-profit organizations as well as the Horizon School Division to attend the March 6 public forum to discuss possible partnerships between the seniors group and other agencies and groups in the area.
Darrell Lessmeister, Director of Community and Leisure Services for the City of Humboldt, facilitated the meeting.
Lessmeister walked the crowd of approximately 50 people through a brief history of the building, its benefits and challenges as well as outlining the seniors club's criteria for proposals, then threw the floor open to comments and questions from the crowd.
"No decisions will be made tonight," said Lessmeister. "This is an opportunity for you to ask questions."
The criteria for proposals from interested parties was set out in the information package. They set out that the Humboldt Senior Citizens Club would continue to own and operate the building, that any proposal ensure that the building still meet the needs of the seniors, and that a proposal should include resources the community organization can bring to the table to sustain the operation of the building.
The criteria prompted the comment that the group seemed to want to maintain full control of the building with little input from interested parties.
Facilitator Lessmeister restated that the seniors' group is open to all types of proposals.
Cunningham was asked if there would be opportunities for free activities to be held at the hall. Her response was money would have to come from other sources such as other non profits so such activities could be accommodated.
Suggestions were made to approach the local potash companies for financial aid as family and community oriented programs appear to be a part of their individual mandates and programs run out of the hall may qualify.
While this option had not been explored, the comment was made that a coordinator would have to be in place since there is no one presently within the seniors club that wants to take on that particular role.
A representative of another non-profit organization noted it is difficult to obtain grant funding to pay for maintenance of a building, therefore money would still have to be realized through other avenues.
Two of the organizations in attendance were Carlton Trail Regional College and Horizon School Division - both of which do not fall into the non-profit category.
CTRC noted that with their new building, they currently have all the required space but would be interested in utilizing the hall as a site for possible staff functions such as Christmas parties. CTRC and the majority of others in attendance were in the dark about the pool tables, shuffle boards and bowling lanes located in the hall's basement.
But as listed in the proposal criteria and when questioned by the crowd, the seniors are not comfortable renting or leasing out the bowling lanes as a source of revenue.
Director Marc Danylchuk of the Horizon School Division noted the division is always very interested in creating partnerships throughout its area and ones where a connection is made between youth and seniors are high on its priority.
Another possibility the school division sees for the facility is as a possible location for a store-front school for students who struggle within the regular school system.
Danylchuk indicated the division has experience in grant writing and feels students would benefit from connecting with seniors and he was planning to take the information package back to his board.
A general consensus amongst the attendees was the facility has great potential as a community centre but felt the name "seniors" would need to be removed from the title to encourage a broader range of individuals to access the facility.
One of the things that was made very clear by Lessmeister and mayor Malcolm Eaton who was also present, the City of Humboldt has no plans to take over the hall.
"There is a lot of potential for this building," said Eaton. "It's how we achieve that potential that is the question."
Jennifer Brooks, Director of Communications for the City of Humboldt, best summed up the required criteria for success. "It must be a three-pronged approach. The seniors are bringing the hall to the table; resources need to be brought to the table and there needs to be integrated programming so all can utilize the facility."
Organizations interested in a partnership have until Monday, April 8 to submit proposals to the Humboldt Senior Citizens Club.
