Danube Srs. Centre celebrates 10th Anniversary

If there was a common refrain at the Danube Seniors Leisure Centre’s Open House last Saturday, it was, “I can’t believe it’s been 10 years…”
Ten years since Seniors’ Advocate Sylvia Luxton first approached then-Mayor Frank Jonkman about the need for a seniors’ centre in Bradford West Gwillimbury, 10 years since she visited Centres in towns from Collingwood to Newmarket to research costs and operations, 10 years since an Ad Hoc committee was struck but couldn’t find a suitable location. Ten years since – serendipity! - the Danube Countries German club decided it could no longer maintain its community hall on Simcoe Road, and offered the facility to the Town.
Even so, it took months before the paperwork was completed, and the renamed Danube Seniors Leisure Centre could reopen – with former Danube Countries Club members given honorary life memberships, and a new executive headed up by President Sylvia Luxton.
“You know how long it took? It took about a year,” said Jonkman, speaking at the Open House. “I never thought it took so long to give something away.”
Since then, membership has grown, and the building has been renovated, improved and added to, thanks to work carried out by the Town, funds raised by the Seniors themselves, generous donations from the development sector – which provided the funds to add a craft room and woodworking shop – and an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant.
“As time goes on, the Centre has become one of the best-used facilities in Town,” Jonkman said, praising the work of the seniors and their volunteer Executive. “Without your hard work this facility wouldn’t exist.”
Mayor Doug White directed some of the praise back to the former Mayor. “This building would not exist today, without the vision and the leadership of Frank Jonkman,” Mayor White said. “It’s an honour to be here on this occasion – a 10 year anniversary…. This Centre represents life-long recreation, life-long opportunities to be involved in the community, life-long education.”
White also had an announcement: the proceeds of the 2008 Mayors’ Golf Challenge, scheduled for July 2nd at the Club at Bond Head, will be going to the Danube Seniors Leisure Centre, earmarked for improvements to the kitchen. “We decided to do that because this building was built as a partnership between the Town and the Seniors. I want to continue that.”
MP for York-Simcoe, the Hon. Peter Van Loan, also brought congratulations. “This is a proud achievement, that this place has grown and thrived... It has made the entire Town a better place to live and enriched many lives in Bradford West Gwillimbury and Simcoe County.” He noted that the success of the Centre is not really in the building, but in the people – and “everybody in this room knows the spark plug was Sylvia Luxton.”
The Danube Seniors Leisure Centre, located at 715 Simcoe Rd. BWG, welcomes members ages 50 and up. For information on membership, programs and special events, call 905-775-0612.

COMING UP…
. Danube Srs. Yard Sale, today, May 3, starting at 8:30 p.m. Making a donation? Please – no microwave ovens, cribs, child car seats or baby seats; Ontario law prevents their resale.
. At 11 a.m. on May 8th, the Centre presents a Health Seminar with Peter Carney, a representative of Lifeline Canada. Help in an emergency. Lunch will follow, only $5..

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