After a pair of key investors dropped out of funding the new Lions Manor 55 senior living complex, the housing co-op is stuck with raising around $750,000 over the next 10 months to keep their project in good shape.
In order to give this funding drive a shot in the arm, Lions Manor 55 vice-chair Penny Byer said that they’ve set up a GoFundMe page online and are organizing a radio-thon that is going to air on 102.9 CHTM April 11 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
“People can phone in their pledges and the money will go directly towards the construction costs, because we have to raise considerably more money in order to keep our mortgage rate down,” said Byer. “We’re not expecting that much money from the radio-thon of course, but every little bit we raise goes towards that final balance.”
Despite this considerable setback, project manager Curtis Ross said that construction on the 33,000-square-foot facility is proceeding as scheduled and that they still expect to complete this project by early 2019.
“We’ve actually made tremendous progress given the hand we were dealt with the weather,” said Ross. “For me and the other guys, we’ve had one of the most brutal winters in the 30 years that I’ve been here … and [they had to] work their way through it.”
In fact, Ross went on to say that they’re hoping to set up a couple display suites this upcoming fall, so that prospective buyers can preview what this 30-unit facility will look like once it’s finished.
While raising $750,000 to complete an $8.2-million project seems like a tall order, Byer said it will be worth it in the end in order to provide Thompson’s senior population with the only local independent living centre besides Rotary Place.
“It will just make living so much easier for people if they don’t have snow to shovel, if they don’t have to worry about who’s looking after their place when they’re out of town, and all those other things,” she said.
“I think in order to keep families together in terms of extended families and grandparents and that kind of thing, it’s something that’s really been needed for a long time.”
Ross went on to say that he thinks this new senior living complex is also good for the community as a whole, since it shows the people of Manitoba, especially those in high ranking government positions, that this city is going to stick around for a long time.
“It’s one of those ‘good news’ projects within the City of Thompson, and it’s very much an indicator to the rest of the province of our ability as a community to stand behind these kinds of projects.”
To submit a donation to Lions Manor 55, please consult with their GoFundMe page or contact Leanne Grenier at [email protected] or 204-307-8334 for more information.
The next annual general meeting for Lions Manor 55 is scheduled to take place Sept. 25.
