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Letters: Seniors' centre not a frill

Letter writer takes exception to Sooke News Mirror December 4 editorial

I read with a sense of frustration the comments contained in your section called “OUR VIEW” in the Dec. 4, 2013 edition of your paper. The title you used is “Everyone wants a place to call home.”

It is always very easy to state the obvious. To suggest that municipalities must be cognizant of the financial crisis still looming would cause most people to say - of course that makes sense. To state that priorities must be set and basics need to be taken care of and not frills would elicit the same type of response. This way you do not have to address the efforts to-date by people who work tirelessly for the community. By mixing in the apparent disparate requests of various groups, it gives weight to your impression that there are many small groups with selfish interests that appear to be frills.

Then you add the example of Ayre Manor (SECHS) and say it is an example of how a group can have success and then you say to be patient because it can happen. It is interesting to note that some of the seniors who in your opinion have a frilly demand for a home, are the same ones that were involved in the Ayre Manor success.

In fact, the drop-in centre is a by-product of the volunteer groups that were instrumental in acquiring the land some 40+ years ago that led to the establishment of Ayre Manor.  Indeed, it is an example of a determined group of people in our community that did not give up on their vision. The result turned out to be much better than anyone at the time had hoped. Many of these same people are involved in this cause. Unfortunately, Father Time has taken and continues to take some of them from us.

The people involved in the quest for a location for a seniors drop-in centre are very cognizant of the need not to burden the community with a single-use facility. They are not frivolous in their intentions. They are not marginal members of the community. They want “a multi-use facility” solution that is inclusive of the community. Please do not trivialize the meaning of their demonstration. This is a democratic society and it is admirable to see an aged group use their right to express their desire to be treated seriously.

Martin W. Quiring

Sooke