The President of the Sundridge-based seniors club known as the Happy Gang wants the new town council to consider forming a committee to help identify a permanent home for the social group.
And Lawrie Vincer also wants the Happy Gang to have a seat and voice on the committee of discovery so it's part of the solution.
Currently, the Happy Gang has space at the town hall where it's been for many years.
However, in 2021 its future to remain at the site became clouded when the former town council told the club it would have to vacate the building so the municipality could use the Happy Gang room to create a provincially mandated Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
See: Happy Gang Seniors feeling sad after being 'Kicked to the Curb" by Sundridge council
And: Two sides to Happy Gang story says former councillor. 'They're not making any real effort to move'
Vincer told the new council the club spent 2022 looking for a new home, but nothing solid materialized.
Before the former council was dissolved it extended the Happy Gang lease to the end of 2023 with the hope that the extension would give the club more time to find a new home.
At its most recent meeting on February 8th, the new council extended the lease even further to December 31st, 2025.
Vincer said the Happy Gang is not opposed to relocating but prefers the town hall site because it's centrally located and easily accessible.
He added the Happy Gang doesn't oppose the creation of an EOC but also told council it will be an asset that “will likely be under-utilized”.
“It's been 42 years since there was a major occurrence”, Vincer said about the area's last major emergency.
He added the EOC will be well-equipped but asked how often it would be used.
“We foresee an empty area of just tables and chairs needed should an emergency arise,” he said.
Vincer said under the previous council given the scenario he described, the club asked if consideration could be given to the EOC and Happy Gang sharing the same space. The answer was no.
But Vincer doesn't agree with the decision and told the new council there is enough space in the room to accommodate both. He further added that as technology grows, equipment size becomes smaller meaning space requirement shrinks.
“This gives more credence to our original proposal to jointly use the room which we believe is doable,” Vincer said.
Vincer appears to have support for his position from Councillors Jim MacLachlan and Shawn Jackson.
“I believe the building has the potential to meet the needs of the EOC and the Happy Gang as it is now,” said Jackson.
And MacLachlan agreed saying “the existing building can house all the components we want to house”.
Both councillors made the comments following Vincer's presentation and during a debate to increase the size of the current municipal building.
Councillor Fraser Williamson introduced a motion calling for the existing building to be extended saying “this would solve the EOC problem.”
Williamson added the extension also makes the library located in the same building larger and creates rooms the municipality can rent out. The project would also include a component to improve accessibility to the building.
Members of council found Williamson's proposal interesting. Among them was Councillor Sharon Smith who said she “liked the concept” calling it “a sound idea.” Smith also pointed out that the need may arise later in the year to again extend the Happy Gang lease into 2024.
But all council members agreed it would be a very expensive project to undertake.
Mayor Justine Leveque said if all other efforts failed then a building expansion might be the only other alternative.
Leveque added many questions remain including what kind of grants, if any, could the municipality tap into.
Staff was instructed to look into the proposal further especially if government grants exist that could help reduce the local share of the extension.
Williamson acknowledged that without grants there is no way Sundridge can pursue a building expansion. And while staff further develop Williamson's proposal, MacLachlan reminded council there is a special committee in place involving members of Sundridge, Strong and Joly councils that are looking into amalgamation.
MacLachlan said if a consolidation between all three municipalities was to occur in the short-term, that could free up building spaces in the area which would address where the Happy Gang could go.
As for Vincer's suggestion for a special committee that includes the Happy Gang at the table to help it find a new home, this will come back to council for a future discussion.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
