The Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre, a landmark north end community centre in Winnipeg catering to the social and wellness needs of older adults, is in the beginning stages of an intensive strategic planning initiative to chart its course through the next decade. This venerable agency has been serving the needs of the older adult community from its location on north Main Street for over 20 years.
“We have enjoyed many successes in the last 10 years,” states Executive Director Marilyn Regiec.

“Our programming is regularly updated to meet the needs of our members.  We have expanded our kitchen, and are now able to provide all the kosher food for Meals on Wheels, community hospitals and correctional institutes in Manitoba. Our volunteer base is strong, but we recognize that today’s older adults have different needs and expectations than previous generations.” 

Board president Judy Kaplan agrees.  “Today’s ninety year olds are more like the previous generation’s seventy year olds.  Our older adult members are healthier and more independent than ever before.  They are staying in their own homes and are able to pursue a more active lifestyle for much longer.  We need to plan for a future where our membership’s needs are quite different than what we’re used to.”

Originally started as a project of the National Council of Jewish Women, the Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre is the successor to the Golden Age Club. While the location has moved a number of times, its mandate hasn’t changed dramatically over the last seven decades: to provide older adults with the opportunity to socialize in a comfortable and stimulating setting.  It is now run independently of NCJW, and its operations are overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors. Financial support still comes primarily from the Jewish community, but it also receives funding from the WRHA. Membership is open to anyone 55 and over, although volunteers are often younger.

The Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre has just launched a research project to identify successes, opportunities and emerging trends in the community it serves.  Anyone interested in helping the Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre determine future direction is invited to complete an internet-based survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LZPPTTS or contact the Centre to sign up for focus groups.  

For more information, or to participate in a focus group, contact Marilyn Regiec by phone at 339 1701 or by email at [email protected].