Plans have been drawn up for a two-storey expansion at the Pat Porter Active Living Centre in Steinbach. 

Executive Director Audrey Harder says they need to get approval from the city and raise just under $5 million. 

With tremendous growth in the past few years, Harder says they are bursting at the seams, noting a significant increase in membership, rentals, programs, and participants. 

“Our coffee corner has way outgrew itself. So, there'll be another coffee corner space there. And then we'll have a fitness room for all the fitness programs that we offer so they don't get bumped as often for rentals. And a whole second storey that's going to have room for other nonprofit organizations that are looking for a place to go and have space.” 

The expansion will also include offices to accommodate a growing staff team. 

“On the west side of the building by the highway, we have two huts right now which are leased by two local organizations, and we’ll remove those huts and sell them. Then we're going to add this building right there. That's the plan.” 

Harder believes there will be enough financial support from the public and grant programs to help pay for the expansion, with hopes of breaking ground next summer. 

Her report in the monthly newsletter for the Pat Porter Active Living Centre, Harder writes, “We have been working with Three Way Builders to develop a plan that would meet all of our needs. We are currently in the planning stages, but we intend to build two stories of 6000 sq feet each.” 

The new space includes individual as well as accessible bathrooms. 

Harder notes this additional space will make a big difference for the growing organization. 

“Over the last 7 years, we have seen a huge growth in program attendance with the exception of the closures and restrictions during the height of the pandemic. We have also seen the amount of programs offered to the community and our members increase from 1500 to nearly 3000. Each program has also increased in attendance, with the exception of clinics as we had many clinics here during the closures. In 2017 we had approximately 7112 people attend programs, in 2023, so far, we have seen 33,598 people attend programs. Membership has gone from around 200 to 547 in 2023. This upward trend will continue as we all learn how important it is to have places like the Pat Porter Active Living Centre in our lives and in the lives of our friends and family.”

-With files from Carly Koop

 

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, SteinbachOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the SteinbachOnline app.

Related Stories