The pandemic had a negative financial effect on both seniors’ organizations in Moose Jaw this year, leading both groups to ask city council for more municipal funding in 2021.
The Moose Jaw and District Seniors Association (MJDSA) and the Cosmo Senior Citizens Centre (CSCC) were two of 15 community groups to make presentations on Nov. 26 during council’s first budget meeting for next year. The MJDSA asked for $50,000, compared to $35,000 it received this year, while CSCC asked for $40,000, compared to $15,000 it received this year.
Moose Jaw and District Seniors Association
The MJDSA changed its operating structure this year so that the board was less involved with micromanaging staff, explained acting general manager Tracey Duncan. Furthermore, the general manager has taken on new responsibilities, including overseeing the organization and managing staff while liaising with the board.
Statistics Canada says the seniors’ population in Saskatchewan is expected to be 21.9 per cent by 2036, or about 275,000 people, Duncan reported. Saskatchewan will see the fastest growth in Canada of this demographic in the next 20 years.
The seniors’ association plans to implement new programs and initiatives in 2021, but it’s difficult to predict what hall rentals and gatherings will be like, she said. Duncan hoped the spike in COVID-19 cases didn’t affect the organization too badly since it wanted to proceed with its goals, including keeping seniors active socially, mentally and physically.
“We’ve been working diligently for these new changes,” Duncan added. “The only challenge impeding our future goals is the pandemic.”
Cosmo Senior Citizens Centre
Two big projects the centre has upcoming include fixing its roof for $25,000 and replacing its heating system and air conditioner for $15,000.
“It’s hard to predict the forthcoming year … ,” said treasurer Bob Cobbe. “This year has been a very hard year, but our activities that we have put on helped the physical, mental well-being of seniors in Moose Jaw and area.”
The hall normally generates $40,000 to $50,000 a year from activities, but this year the centre raised roughly $20,000. Since it couldn’t have sit-down meals, the centre hosted a summer take-out barbecue that saw 78 people order, while 200 people took part in the fall take-out supper
This year, it held floor hockey, kids’ dance lessons, floor shuffleboard, and started the “very important feature” of pickleball, Cobbe said. So far, the centre has raised more than $1,400 from pickleball games. It initially offered the game two days a week but increased that to eight times a week.
“It’s really helped us a lot because it has brought in 50 to 60 new memberships for Cosmo,” he added.
“Kudos to your club to open that (pickleball league) up for people,” said Coun. Heather Eby. “Fifty to 60 new members because of pickleball is awesome.”
Maintaining good mental health during the pandemic is important, said Mayor Fraser Tolmie. He commended both seniors’ groups for keeping involved older residents, a group that council wants to honour and include.
STARS Air Ambulance
Request for 2021: $3,500
Received in 2020: No funding provided
STARS Air Ambulance carried out 38 missions in Moose Jaw in 2018 and 35 missions in 2019, explained development officer Tammy Beauregard. The organization also trained 81 medical professionals in Moose Jaw using its trauma training simulator.
In Saskatchewan, it costs $21 million to run the two bases, said Beauregard. The provincial government contributes $10.5 million and donations from the public cover the other half.
“We do need the support of our communities to help sustain our operation for years to come … ,” she added. “It is this support that fuels our innovation, from the medical equipment and procedures to the aviation tools … to the training aid human-patient simulators that we train on and that we also bring to rural Saskatchewan.”
Moose Jaw Cultural Centre
Request for 2021: $163,410
Received in 2020: $156,979
The Cultural Centre sold 17,000 tickets for events in 2019 and expected to exceed that in 2020 based on the lineup of performers, said general manager Derik Cronan. However, pandemic restrictions limit how many people can attend events in the Mae Wilson Theatre, forcing the centre to make changes to be fiscally responsible.
“2021 will be a new balancing act. We are operating under the assumption that events rescheduled will be able to go ahead, but we’re not sure what operations will look like in coming months,” he said.
The Cultural Centre was one of the first live music venues to reopen in Saskatchewan and Canada. In July, it hosted a hybrid performance by musician Allan Doyle that saw 75 people watch live and hundreds more watch on YouTube.
“In the future, the largest issue we are facing is the uncertainty surrounding live performances, future funding and grant availability, and overall expenses associated with live performances in a public venue at this time,” Cronan said.
The organization needs to replace its 15-year-old theatre curtains with fire retardant material since they don’t meet the current fire code regulations. This will cost $41,230.
Meanwhile, the centre wants to spend $33,800 to purchase new items such as couches, blinds, tables, chairs and theatre equipment.
“I attended the Allan Doyle concert and it was a wonderful night,” said Coun. Crystal Froese. “It was the last concert I sat in when it was a full house of people. He launched his concert series from Moose Jaw. He chose the Mae Wilson Theatre to launch his whole tour, which speaks to his professionalism and the quality of the venue.”
