Finally, the renovations at Rotacrest Hall are winding down — at least the interior portion. To recap: There has been a general facelift on the interior upstairs at the hall, so now if you want to have a wedding or a dance in a smaller venue than the Community Complex, you will see new paint and features such as window coverings, flooring, bar, washrooms — you name it, it looks totally different. While not as many surprises surfaced when we opened walls and ceilings as there were in the community complex renovation (still some stuff we shake our heads about), there were a few anomalies that were cleaned up and brought to code.
The upstairs hall is quite active with rental bookings, as well as New Horizons Seniors Society use for programs like bridge, crib, dances, movement therapy, coffee, dinner and pancake breakfast gatherings. There are still opportunities for private or community events upstairs, so just give us a call and we would be glad to answer your questions.
Downstairs is where the action has been until lately and that area was renovated as the new home of the Therapeutic Action Program for Seniors (TAPS) and the Better at Home program for seniors. This area saw more extensive reworks: a few walls were moved and the former apartment on the north end of the building (yes, there was an caretaker suite there at one time) was reworked in the main kitchen for the seniors group. The whole area got a replaster/repaint, heating, plumbing and electrical system rework and a new floor throughout, and again, some anomalies that needed to be remedied in the worst way. All in all, the entire building has a new, invigorated look and feel, and the user groups are proud to call it home.
Yay! Open house time! So, TAPS and Better at Home are throwing open their doors 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 25 to show off the new digs and answer any questions you might have about either program. I think it’s great to have these new additions to already busy facilities; both the community complex and Rotacrest Hall are hopping now and should be as that demonstrates the need of a service or services for the community.
So, being as I was a safety patrol in Grade 6 on the bustling streets of Edmonton with my sash and wooden stop sign paddle, who better to say, “Slow the heck down!” We seem to have drifted a bit into familiarity as people are zipping through the parking lot a little too quickly and, with the addition of new tenants to Rotacrest, the chances of a speed-based incident seem to have increased. That is why we have the electronic speed monitoring sign the Town of Creston has generously loaned to us mounted on a pole as you come into the parking lot and we are advising our staff, as well instructors, to tell everyone in their classes that seem to roar in at the last minute trying to be on time.
I know it’s not you, but maybe if you know someone that fits the description, perhaps you could mention to add a few minutes to their schedule so they don’t have to roar in or out like Parnelli Jones. I shudder to think how lives could be changed forever because someone was struck by a vehicle.
Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.