President of the Bairnsdale Senior Citizens, Peter Drummond, is publicly calling on the community to see if anyone can come up with a solution for the club – it needs a home.
“We need a home where we can meet three to four times a week in an environment that is safe, warm and comfortable, where we do not have to set up and pack up after every meeting session,” he said.
“Club members range in age from from their 70s to well into their 90s and many are not physical powerhouses able to lug tables and chairs around a room before a club meet.”
Currently the club meets at Picnic Point Hall.
The club did have its own club rooms in the 1970s but they were burnt down. Insurance collected by government and since then the senior citizens club have moved from place to place over the years but all venues where the club has been tenants have required them to set up and pack up – an inconvenient and unworkable situation according to Peter.
A couple of active members of the club, Pat Owen (90) and Cecilia Rohan (95), have suggested a simple solution for the shire to act on and demonstrate care and kindness for their group would be to purchase a downtown central unit and make it the club’s home.
“We would be very polite and quiet neighbours,” they said.
Peter said East Gippsland Shire councillor Arthur Allen and his empathetic ear, but currently council does not have a solution.
Club secretary Denise Knight has conversed with the shire’s manager council enterprises, Kris Wain, who said he has gone through council’s asset list and identified a few facilities that could be a suitable venue.
“In my current role I do not manage the facilities, the arrangements with committees or am aware of the activities onsite. As such I am working with a colleague to arrange site visits and understand the suitability of some of the buildings before I proceed,” Mr Wain said.
Mr Wain said once he has investigated options further, he will arrange a meeting to discuss his findings and seek feedback from the senior citizens club.
