Proposed site for Moncton seniors centre picked

A group of Moncton seniors is still hopeful a new community centre could be built in the area.

A seniors group in Moncton, N.B., have chosen a location for a proposed community centre.

The Senior Center Committee [SCC] is a volunteer group of seniors that have been looking for a new place to call home since the former Moncton Lions Community Centre on St. George Street was repurposed into a homeless shelter in 2022.

Their new plan would see a 6,000 square foot building constructed on a 20,000 square-foot lot owned by the City of Moncton.

Located next to Kiwanis Park, the proposed site already has ample parking and is near Curl Moncton, the YMCA and the Legion.

“It makes a lot of sense to have it in this area as kind of a service corridor for the City of Moncton,” said SCC chair Dennis Cochrane. “It’s got a lot of attractive features to it.”

A library, kitchen, coffee bar, space for Internet access, a small meeting room and a place for card games, social and physical activities would all be part of the new centre.

In April, Moncton City Council allocated up to $1.7 million to address the lack of a dedicated seniors centre since the repurposing of the former one.

Cochrane said the city provided space for activities at various locations after the Moncton Lions Community Centre was closed to them, but a centre is desired.

“You need a place for socialization for seniors. We’re one of the few municipalities of this size that doesn’t have a dedicated centre for seniors,” said Cochrane.

The SCC Committee presented its comprehensive plan to city staff and council members in October.

The committee feels the proposed facility, with proper design, planning and tendering, can be built for the $1.7 million allocated given because the land is already owned by the City of Moncton.

The original plan was to move into the bottom floor of the former Wawanesa Insurance building on St. George Boulevard, but that fell through.

Rising Tide, a not-for-profit housing organization, purchased the vacant three-storey building in 2024 and the seniors group had hoped the first floor could be used for a new recreational centre.

However, a deal was never finalized and hopes were dashed for that location.

Cochrane said a final decision by council on the new proposal from the SCC will likely come in December.

If approved, Cochrane believes shovels could be in the ground by April and the project completed by the end of 2026.

“It’s a one-storey building, so It’s not really complex,” said Cochrane.

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