Kitchener moving ahead (slowly) with plans for Rockway seniors centre

KITCHENER — Four years after city council voted to find a private-sector partner to redevelop Rockway Centre, Kitchener is taking baby steps to make that happen.

The popular seniors centre was catapulted into the spotlight in 2010, when city staff recommended closing it in favour of expanded seniors services throughout the city.

After seniors took to the streets waving placards and wearing “Seniors Matter” T-shirts, council voted in 2013 to keep the centre open.

Since then, there has been little public progress on redeveloping the building.

But this week, councillors heard that staff in the city’s economic development office are actively working to secure a public-private partnership to redevelop the centre, located at 1405 King St. E. in a prominent site east of the downtown.

“We’ll probably be looking at it fairly seriously in the next year or two,” said Cory Bluhm, who heads the city’s economic development department.

The city’s business plan, which maps out city projects for the near future, says economic development staff will be evaluating potential redevelopment options for the Rockway site in 2018 and 2019, and coming back to council with suggestions on proceeding with a partnership with a private developer.

As well, the city’s 10-year capital forecast has earmarked $12 million in 2023 for Rockway’s redevelopment, but deputy chief administrator Michael May said staff will have a firmer number next year when they update the city’s overall plan for recreation facilities.

Part of the delay is due to the city’s desire to acquire the full block on which the centre is located.

“After we evaluated the property we feel there is greater potential for redevelopment if we can put forward the entire block,” Brian Bennett, the city’s manager of business development, said in an email. “We have had discussions to secure the remaining lands,” a small section near Preston Street currently occupied by billboards.

Once negotiations have wrapped up, staff will draw up a request for proposals for the site for council approval, Bennett said.

The Rockway building, a former trolley bus transit terminal, was built in 1950 and has served as a seniors centre since 1975. The redevelopment plan is to add several storeys of seniors apartments, and possibly services catering to seniors, such as a pharmacy or medical offices.

Coun. Frank Etherington, whose ward includes Rockway, said he was pleased to see the project moving ahead. “I know they’re working on it. I want to see it speeded up.”

The centre has loyal members and they deserve to see it continue to operate, Etherington said. “They have paid property taxes all their lives. They deserve the pleasure and the sense of community that they get at the centre. I know from the many times I’ve been in the centre that they love that place.”

Keeping that loyal group of supporters informed about Rockway’s fate is key, said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic when he raised the issue at the budget meeting.

“This is one I’m going to continue to keep an eye on because I believe it is one that we know is very important to our senior population. We need to make sure we keep them informed, keep them in the loop as to what’s happening … and engage them on what the new facility is going to potentially look like.”

The centre provides a variety of recreational programs, including fitness, cards and quilting.

Within 15 years, one in five people in Kitchener will be over age 65.