The Hart Pioneer Centre officials fear they may have to soon close their doors due to lack of funds.
Stuart Hayne, president, said this year looks like it will be tough, if not impossible to keep the centre open with no funds at all coming from the province's Gaming Branch.
In the past, the gaming funds accounted for about one-third of the $180,000 operating budget, said Hayne, who can't see, at this point how that money can be made up by senior volunteers.
The funding difficulties arise just as a senior modular housing project is being developed on the Hart Pioneer Centre site.
And BC Housing is proposing that Hart Pioneer administrate and manage the 30 homes upon completion of construction expected in May.
"It's kind of strange that the province wants us to manage the project, but cuts the funding to ensure we can continue operating," said Hayne.
He said the centre, which experienced serious budget cuts in 2010, has already reduced its staff from a full-time cook and janitor and two office employees to a part-time janitor and part-time office secretary.
"It will be difficult to operate without a cook," said Hayne.
The centre not only offers meals daily, but also prepares and delivers Meals-On-Wheels with volunteer help to homebound seniors and disabled persons in the Hart area.
In 2009, government gaming funds totaled $157 million which were distributed between more than 6,800 non-profit organizations in the province.
"Last year, the total was cut to $117 million, and this year it's zero," Hayne said.
The great hope for the 500 Hart Pioneer members is that B.C.'s new premier will be Christy Clark, former Minister of Children and Family Development, who has promised to restore the 2009 funding and add $15 million to the total.
"She's our greatest hope right and she's being supported by members of our executive," said Hayne.
Christine Hoffe, a representative of the province's Northern Interior Communities Association (CNICA), said the lapse in funding stems from a revamping of the program to NICA from the old Bonanza Charities, and that will take at least a year to round out.
She said rather than all the groups applying for funds every three years, they are being staggered so they don't all apply at the same time.
The first groups that can apply for funds under the new policies are public safety like Search and Rescue programs, arts and culture and sports.
The rest - service groups, children's programs and low income and poverty groups, which includes the Hart Pioneer Centre - cannot apply for funds until Nov. 30 of this year, and won't hear the results of the application until February, 2012.
Hoffe added the Gaming Branch is looking at giving advance funds to struggling groups, but in the end, that money will be subtracted from the annual funding received after 2011, and "a number of groups are not sure they want to be in that position."
Hayne said nobody wants to be in that position, "but Hart Pioneer Centre would have no choice, but to accept it."
Officials believe they have enough funds to operate until the end of March, and after that, it may all have to be volunteer work or closing the doors.
"To raise funds for operating we put on dances twice a month as well as pancake breakfasts and dinners," Hayne said. "We ask a lot of volunteer time from our members as it is, and it's rather disappointing that the baby boomers now reaching the age of 65 are not stepping up. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's hard to admit you're a senior. We can hope that once they've accepted that, they'll participate."
Sam Rainboth, senior manager, public affairs with BC Housing said discussion between the two parties will continue shortly "to work out an appropriate management structure" for this new seniors' housing development.
He added neither weather conditions or discussions will affect the completion or opening of this new housing for low to moderate income seniors.
