The clock is ticking for a community group that's trying to save a local gathering place in the Hamlet of Ryde, located east of Gravenhurst.
Lorraine Masters is one of 237 seniors, whose social life is under threat if the Ryde Community Centre closes.
“It's going to be hard on a lot of people,” says Masters. “They'll just sit at home and twiddle their thumbs and grow old.”
The Ryde Community Co-op Program is run out of the community centre. Seniors go there for social gatherings, as well as classes in cooking, wellness and tai chi.
“Programs are geared to help the seniors remain social, remain active and through that remain in their own homes and not become a part of the health care system in nursing homes,” says Jennie Nice, president of the Ryde club.
The Trillum Lakelands District School Board owns the building and wants to sell the property by public tender to an appropriate buyer.
The minimum bid is $125,000, but tender is only open for two weeks. The Ryde Co-op seniors are scrambling, but so far are just short of $60,000 – much of that is from their own pockets
On Tuesday afternoon, the Town of Gravenhurst promised another $25,000 grant and a $25,000 loan, but that's still not enough.
Officials from the school board say if it does not receive a minimum offer by Thursday, then the building and the property will be put on the open market for anyone to buy.
