The Ridgetown Adult Centre

Development of The New Centre – Progress Report 1

Submitted by Bob Dye and Sharon Alliet

The Development Team (The Team) for a New Adult Activity Centre for the citizens of Ridgetown and Area (The Centre) are busy working towards a planned construction launch in early April 2020. The Team plans to provide weekly progress reports until the project is complete, beginning with this report.

Centre Design

The Centre will be a one floor pre-engineered steel framed building with a combination of stone, glass and steel cladding. The roof is flat and sloped to the North.

The open concept, barrier-free design features a large covered entrance portico, large café, catering-in-kitchen, games room, office, four multi-purpose activity rooms with moveable walls, and washrooms meeting or exceeding code requirements.

The design maximizes open space using glass walls and open ceilings, as well as special flooring for activities as required.

The size of The Centre will be 7500 square feet (60’ x 125’) with a 1000 square foot, 12’ high portico covering the main entrance.

Benefits of a New Centre

Focus groups and surveys confirmed we have outgrown our existing inadequate century-old storefront location, and that a new facility is essential to expand and improve the range and quality of programming.

The Centre will be all on one floor, has adaptive flooring in multi-purpose activity rooms, provides ease of entry / egress, open barrier-free concept, access to leading edge communication technologies and meets or exceeds accessibility codes.

The proposed new facility greatly enhances our proven ability to facilitate unique health, fitness, education, social, and wellness programming for citizens and vulnerable people in our community.

Multi-purpose rooms and areas expand programming range; moveable walls permit simultaneous events/programs; catering kitchen and café improve socialization opportunities.

Multi-purpose rooms and areas enhance delivery of health services such as foot care, hearing, blood pressure, and diabetic clinics as well as mental health referral services; and educational services such as financial planning and tax preparation.

Our new facility enhances programming opportunities for vulnerable groups such as senior and people with varied and numerous special needs in our community and rural Chatham-Kent. We will provide a safe place and secure environment, opportunities for social engagement and involvement. We will also be advocates for our vulnerable population and will connect and liaise with appropriate services, when necessary.

Estimated Cost and Fundraising

The estimated cost of The Centre is approximately $2,500,000. Fundraising was launched in November and to date contact has been made with more than 70 organizations and groups seeking donations.

On February 19th The Centre will be hosting an evening information and fundraising event at 5:30 pm at The Ridgetown Legion to provide members and Ridgetown and Area Businesses with an opportunity to make a donation.