More than 40 people gathered for a small ‘groundbreaking’ ceremony to mark the start of another investment in the facilities at Arrowsmith Lodge and Cokely Manor in Parksville on Friday, July 11.
According to a press release, development plans have been approved for an outdoor event space to hold large group activities and create opportunities for more community events. Currently, larger gatherings are held under the lodge main entrance on the driveway or with chairs and tents set up in and around their orchard trees which is not ideal.
Phase 1 of the new space will be a large, level platform with wide accessible pathways and multiple access points between the two facilities. The planned pavilion, phase 2, will be covered but open sided. The vision is to host a variety of community events such as art fairs and plant sales, to accommodate live music and choirs, to continue to enjoy pet parades and celebrations of all kinds.
Bren Smith, Fund Development Co-ordinator for Arrowsmith Health Care Society, said: “This space will create more opportunities to bring our community in, to those unable to venture out.”
Among the speakers for the occasion were Lola Denesyk, Chair of the Arrowsmith Health Care Foundation, Michael Recalma, Chief of the Qualicum First Nation, Michael Aikins, CEO for the Arrowsmith Health Care Society, and Parksville Coun. Mary Beil.
With more than 55 years of history since the clearing of the five-acre parcel of land and the creation of the Arrowsmith Rest Home Society, the facility has evolved from providing 32 apartments for lower-income seniors, to the addition of a long-term care facility, Arrowsmith Lodge. It has become a Campus of Care, meeting assisted living needs for tenants in Cokley Manor and providing Adult Day Programs to 50-plus seniors from the community weekly.
The Society had three local clubs give funds towards its goal (Parksville Lions, Nanoose Bay Lions and the Ocean Idlers); hosted two peer-to-peer walk-a-thons (The Grand Parade) and received individual donations towards the project.
The group continues to seek partners and support to complete the covered pavilion in Phase 2.
