Pat Porter Active Living Centre unveils preliminary expansion plans

The Pat Porter Active Living Centre has been running out of spaces to host their events, house their staff and has been getting very low on storage for several years now and according to the centers' Executive Director, there is hope of an expansion on the horizon.  

Audrey Harder says, visitors to the Pat Porter can now see what the two-storey addition may look like.  

"Right now, we have our Class C budget in place. So, we're not quite at the spot yet where we have our blueprints, but you can take a look at what is in the plans.” 

Harder says, “You'll see pictures of what it (the expansion) will look like attached. Even now, when I drive by on that end (west side), I look at the huts and I go “Goodbye”, I'm going to see the new one, and then my brain always sees that (the expansion) there.” 

Harder continues describing the new space. ”So, it'll have two stories. It'll be 6,000-square feet on each story. So, the main floor will have a big Coffee Corner area, because I mean our Coffee Corner has grown and we just want to continue growth, but we don't want to have people squished in. So, we're looking forward to expanding that.”

PPALC Main Floor preliminary plans

 “It will have a front desk, offices, so all of our staff can have, well, so that most of our staff can have their own offices. We're growing so quickly we might outgrow the plans before we actually build. And then we have enough storage space in there for the wheelchairs and walkers and scooters that we loan out. As well as a nice big area where we would have most of our fitness things happening, because as you know our fitness programs have grown extensively.” 

Harder says there will be an elevator and bathrooms on the main floor, which will all be accessible-single-use bathrooms.  

“So, every bathroom is private, which was one of the things we really wanted to make sure it also included. There's one with a shower, as we have people who come in during workhours and they do exercise or fitness. But we only have one shower, so you might have to try to book it quickly, but it's definitely something that we have needed, especially as staff.”

PPALC Second floor preliminary plans

Harder notes that on the second floor of the expansion they will have two large spaces they are hoping to Lease out.   

“One of them is already spoken for. Then there's six office spaces, three of them are already spoken for as well. And it also has accessible bathrooms, three of them up there, all private bathrooms as well.” 

“With 6000 square feet on each story, we wanted to make sure that we have room to grow. So, the Leases will help us pay our building expenses, and then maybe one day we won't need to have all the Leases there and we'll be able to just run programs and rent out the spaces.” 

Harder says the expansion will also have plenty of room for storage, and they’ll be able to house their library somewhere else than in it’s current location, in the hallway of the Pat Porter.  

“It will be in an area where you can go in and read your book, sit in there, there'll be music, and it'll be right next door to the current Coffee Corner.” 

Harder says they currently have 24 staff, including seven full-time and are always hiring more.  

“So we're looking to divide that work up a little bit, and we're always looking for different ways to grow. So, we're applying for all the grants we can get because we really need to keep this community healthy. We need to keep this community safe. We need to make sure people have a safe place to go, where they know they will be loved no matter what, and that they will be helped and supported at all times.” 

Harder says, while they have started fundraising for the expansion project, she will continue to send in Grant applications. She adds if you’d like to help the Pat Porter with its projects,  

“You can donate one time or you can donate annually. You can offer your services. You can come volunteer. You can be a member, join programs, all of that helps us in the end, and it also helps you in the end. And I think that the best part of working and being part of the Pat Porter Active Living Centre is that it's not just about what we need to do, it's about what we do together.”