Woodstock activity centre is designed for the 50+ age group
Large gymnasium and adding 2nd floor to current building in the vision
By
Mark Schadenberg
In
an effort to promote all the great amenities of Woodstock, I’ve written about
South Gate Centre before – similar to highlighting the local museum, library, art
gallery and many sports facilities.
If
South Gate Centre -- found at the main gate to Southside Park -- completes its planned renovation and expansion project, it may
become the focal point community centre of the city. Their enthusiastic plan
includes, by the way, adding a second floor and atrium to the current building,
and also adding a full-size gymnasium. South Gate officials describe it as a
triple gym, but it is in essence the size of a regulation basketball court with
additional sideline space for fold-in bleachers.
South
Gate is a buy-a-membership centre for adults over the age of 50 and the
programs offered vary from wood working to card tournaments (including
klaverjas) to dancing to cardio fitness to hobbies (knitting, crochet, etc) to shuffleboard
to billiards to choir singing to computer courses to ukulele to darts to carpet lawn bowling to buying
lunch at its café. (Specific times for each activity are noted in the Golden Nugget newsletter)
If
you want to be truly impressed by the centre, check out its Golden Nugget (It
is online) seasonal newsletter as it updates the membership on upcoming special
events, planned group trips and the always-popular annual 12 Days of Christmas
fundraising lottery.
The
Golden Nugget is a terrific publication because each activity notes who the
convener is if you want to seek more details. The newsletter also lists various
areas where the club seeks additional volunteers.
Many
other annual events take place including the Bob McFarland Memorial Golf
Classic tournament, which was held Sept 9 at Woodstock Meadows.
The
most popular gathering might be Chilly Charlie’s prognostication of the hopeful
change of seasons hosted in early February at the centre – Groundhog Day.
South
Gate is also a group of entrepreneurs as the centre has its own kitchen for
lunch meals, but they also cater for in-house weddings and banquets (Local
Roots). South Gate is also the lease holder for the Southside Park canteen
called Local Roots At The Park.
After
skimming through the Golden Nugget you will quickly see that the centre is a
local treasure which is ready to expand . . . its walls and its horizons.
EXPANSION
PLANS
The
South Gate committee was on the agenda of Woodstock city council on Oct. 19 and
hosted an open house on Oct. 25. At the open house, the full board of directors
and staff members were in attendance to answer questions and extol with
excitement of their placards on easels depicting the architect (Perkins &
Will) renderings of what could be in the future. The design also includes a
major shift to the parking lot to accommodate 49 more spots.
The
vision includes adding a second floor to the current building but also adding a
brand new full-size gymnasium. The new activity space will be utilized by all
current programs but also permit the addition to the already impressive roster
of “things to do”.
Executive
director Chris Cunningham talked about the entire community in her presentation
on Oct 25, including the idea that night-time uses of the gymnasium could be
geared to youth groups (Minor sports or clubs) or be rented by competitive
adult leagues such as volleyball or floor hockey.
The
budget for the entire project and specifics for a massive fundraising campaign
were not announced as the overall ‘idea’ must be approved by South Gate
membership, the City of Woodstock (Council) and other user groups and possible
partners. It would be easy to guess that the price tag could be in the range of
$4 million and the building timetable to continue to the spring of 2021 as
co0nstrction would be in 2 phases.
“When
you look at these drawings, think about the potential and the dream . . . think
of all the space we would gain for our activities,” said Cunningham.
I
interviewed Chris Cunningham, Felise Jones and centre membership chair Graham
Becker for Rogers TV and the show Inside Oxford, and I will include a link to
that video after it has aired.
South
Gate – it truly is important to note – already hosts more than 60 groups and
organizations for their meetings. On the night of the open house the local
stamp club was having a meeting. I’m in the Lions Club of Woodstock and we meet
twice a month at South Gate and also host our Thursday bingo events at the
venue.
One
more example is the Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee. This advisory
group of city council, which I’m also a member, meets monthly at South Gate.
The 50+ age group club could be called the 50 (and more) activities
destination.
“The
focus will not change as seniors will always be our priority,” says Cunningham.
“This is the city’s building, but everyone involved with South Gate has done an
awesome job maintain and improving what is currently here.
“This
has been years and years in the planning,” Cunningham added.
Naturally,
the exact timetable and costs has not been defined, but Chris Cunningham and
all South Gate board members are confident, and note that the centre is
currently very financially stable and has about 800 members.
South
Gate Centre
191
Old Wellington St, Woodstock
519
539-9817
Executive
Director: Chris Cunningham
Operations
Manager: Felise Jones
Volunteer
Coordinator: Neela Kennedy
Local
Roots Manager: Shelley Davis
Board
Of Directors Chair: Cristian Lagos
Membership
Chair: Graham Becker
LINKS:
www.southgatectr.ca
www.southgatectr.ca
www.southgatectr.ca/newsletter
https://www.southgatectr.com/membership
http://www.heartfm.ca/news/local-news/south-gate-expansion/
https://www.southgatectr.com/membership
http://www.heartfm.ca/news/local-news/south-gate-expansion/
2016
Stories:
My
Previous Blogs (Note the date on each):
April
2016
November
2015
Woodstock is a great place to live;
call me today if you would like information
about the Friendly City and/or Oxford County
Mark Schadenberg, Sales
Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist
(SRES designation)
Royal LePage Triland Realty
Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage
757 Dundas St, Woodstock
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter: markroyallepage
Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland
Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . .
Destination
