WELLINGTON: MP Darrell Samson announced the federal government is investing more than $50,000 to assist the non-profit Wellington/Fletchers Lake Community Centre become an accessible warming centre for the community.
The announcement, made virtually last week, will see the volunteer organization that operates the Station House, also known as the Wellington Community Centre (as per the sign outside), receive $51,000 from the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF).
According to a release, the money will allow the centre to make upgrades to serve as an accessible warming station with a generator during prolonged power outages.
Given the frequency of power outages especially recently during an ice storm that saw area residents without power for up to four days, having a warming centre where residents can come to socialize, get some coffee/food, and charge their technology devices will be a helpful addition.
Steve Hobson, volunteer chairperson with the Station House, spoke about why becoming a warming centre was something the group wanted to do.
“It’s going to make a big difference,” Hobson said. “This funding is going to allow us to move forward to progress and make things like our kitchen more suitable for all means of operation,” he said in the zoom announcement.
He said the kitchen will also be used for the warming centre making soups, chilli’s, tea, and those things.
“There will be a generator on site for people who come to the warming centre. People will have a place to go where there’s power. It gives community residents means of charging their phones and other items, comfortable seating, chairs, tables, blankets, and all that will come with this funding.”
Besides the warming centre, the funding will help the centre establish a community garden and purchase a wood-fired oven for community gatherings.
The community garden will help bring people to the centre and is one way they may gain new volunteers, said Hobson.
“This is going to be advance us greatly to immediately move forward and actually have it opened shortly and operational,” he said.
