Strength in numbers backstops Hub development
In a post-pandemic world that has left non-profit groups scrambling to make up funds lost during the COVID-19 restrictions, the majority of Peachland’s non-profit groups are finding strength in numbers as they raise money together for new location they can all share.
The Peachland Hub Society was formed after the Peachland Wellness Centre, Peachland Lions, Peachland Food Bank and the Peachland Community Policing learned their buildings would be demolished to make way for a second seniors’ residence.
Other groups, including the Peachland Ambassadors, the Bat Education Ecological Protection Society and Peachland Rotary, have joined the cause.
Under the society’s plan, the activity centre at Eighth and Beach Avenue would be demolished and a new 12,530 square foot one-level building would be built for the hub as well as a 2,000 square foot building for the new food bank built closer to Hwy 97.
It’s an ambitious project, especially since it means the community groups have to raise money for the Hub project as well as to keep themselves afloat.
“We’re spreading ourselves thin, I admit, but every group that’s involved in the Hub is doing the same thing, has to raise funds for their operational needs and also raise funds for the hub, so we do it as a collective,” said Shelley Sweeney, chair of the Peachland Hub Society as well as a Peachland Lions member.
“We all pitch in, but we also raise funds for our own organization.”
The vision for the hub is a lively, intergenerational community space where everybody gathers and something is always happening.
Amenities would include office space, hall, kitchen, conference room, meeting room and classroom.
With two dividers and the stage area, the hall can break into four soundproof rooms, so there can be multiple activities at once.
The hub is also planning for the future.
Adult day space is currently not available in Peachland, and with the town’s aging demographic, that is a problem.
The Peachland Wellness Centre offers an adult day service as a caregiver respite two days a week in the activity room in the seniors’ housing.
Caregivers can drop those they are looking after with dementia or other around-the-clock care needs off and they will be taken care of, entertained and fed.
Peachland has a need for more, however.
“Interior Health has said to us, if you have more space, we have more people,” said Kym Martin, vice-chair of the Peachland Hub Society and president of the Peachland Wellness Centre.
The current estimate for the Hub project is $15.25 million – $14.53 million for the main Hub building and $725,000 for the food bank, with a 30 per cent contingency.
The project has been affected by galloping inflation.
“When we started this project, it was half that,” said Martin. “All of a sudden we went from $350 to 550 a square foot to $750 a square foot and that was completely out of our control.”
The society’s fundraising plan is for $10.8 million of the money to come from grants, $3.56 million from donations and $900,000 from raffles and other events.
The land will be leased long-term from the District of Peachland for $1 a year.
The society has sent out grant applications to over 120 foundations across Canada. They are hoping to hear back soon from Infrastructure
Canada regarding a grant up to $8 million.
The volunteer-driven society has already raised over $250,000 in a year and a half. The volunteers are focused raising money for the food bank, as that is what they want to build first.
With all the groups working together, Martin said they are coming up with more creative ideas than if each was working individually. They are also promoting and supporting each other’s events as well.
The society is planning to apply for a capital gaming grant, but needs to have close to half a million dollars raised by the end of July.
Another of the society’s fundraisers is Peachland Pickleball is Murder coming up June 2 and 3 at the Peachland 50 Plus Activity Centre an interactive murder mystery.
The story has Peachland holding its inaugural pickleball tournament at the Peachland Community Centre. But after the successful tournament, Peachlander Ryan Racquet, the tournament’s singles pickleball champion, is found brutally murdered in the community centre parking lot.
Tournament organizers, attendees and players have all been summoned to the 50 Plus Activity Centre to meet with Detective Dinker to find out who committed the murder and why.
Guests can dress in their favourite athletic attire and participate as much or as little as they like in the investigation, including interviewing the prime suspects, such as a jilted fiancée, a Peachland department store owner, a Peachland winery proprietor, a financially desperate community centre club entrepreneur, an angry pickleball coach, the jealous second place finisher and an uptight tennis pro.
Along with the interactive murder mystery, the $65 ticket includes a meal catered by Adam Relvas, 2022 Okanagan Chef of the Year.
Tickets are available at the Peachland Pharmacy or by calling 250-212-2025.