Grande Prairie Lions Learning Centre
A background on the project
by
PCC R. Lynne Coulter
The Grande Prairie Lions Club was chartered in 1957.
Like many clubs with more than a half-century of service we have many projects of which we are proud: Lions Park, complete with playground equipment, a spray deck, and a paved surface with a basketball hoop, the surface being convertible for use as an ice-skating rink in the winter; Pioneer Cemetery, the final resting place for victims of a flu epidemic in the early 1900’s, the sandy ridge being the only place where graves could be dug in the winter, and the education bursaries and scholarships we have at Grande Prairie Regional College.
Our service has not been limited to local projects. We have provided support for training guide dogs for handicapped persons, provided computers for visually impaired students, sponsored Lions Youth Camps and Lions Youth Exchange, provided donations to LCIF, to name just a few. We have sponsored several children through a Foster Child program that we have with our twinned club...the Moratura Lions....and have shipped approximately 100,000 pairs of used eyeglasses not just to the Moratuwa Lions to distribute freely to those who need glasses, but also through the Canadian Eyeglass Recycling Centre located in Calgary from where the used glasses are sent to many parts of the world to provide vision assistance to people in need.
In 1990 Grande Prairie Lions purchased our first community-use building named the Hillcrest Centre, a former church, which we renovated into meeting space (for us and for community use) and rental space which housed the “Cool Aid Society”, a local youth support group. The Club President and Secretary signed a personal note for $90,000(CDN) to finance the project. I guess they had the right stuff: the President has been my CST on two occasions, and the Secretary [my wife Donna] was District Governor in 1995-96).
Our activities and that of the youth group soon outgrew the available space. In addition, the building was not handicapped accessible. We needed to find a new home. After much discussion, our club decided to proceed with another “bricks and boards” project which we would own or share with others in the community, which would be our “home”, and which would display the Lions logo. We explored several options, including a Seniors Residence.
Our club had been involved with two groups which provided much needed service and support to youth; “Bridge Network”, an outreach school / alternative learning / storefront school project, and “Pregnant Teen Program” (Society for Support to Pregnant and Parenting Teens), both operated under the auspices of the Grande Prairie Public School Division.
Those two groups needed a permanent home. After several false starts, an agreement was struck with the groups and their parent organization (GPPSD).
A steering committee representing all the “Partners” was formed to develop the concept. An architectural firm was retained and a construction management firm was engaged by the tender process. The “Partner” members sat in on every planning and construction site meeting, and even attended tender openings. A fourth “Partner”, Council for Lifelong Learning, joined the group.
Significant government funding was available since part of the building was dedicated to education. Each partner brought their energies, their assets and their earning power to the table. Land was provided from Municipal Reserve ( the law here for schools). Every possible government grant was explored, every potential charitable foundation was solicited, the proceeds of the sale of our previous building were added to the pot, we canvassed the community, we applied to and received from LCIF a grant of $60,000 US, and the club borrowed $1,200,000 (CDN) from RBC Financial Services, using the facility as collateral.
Construction finally started in the Spring of 2002, occupancy took place during the Christmas break (Dec. 2002 /Jan. 2003), and the first revenue event was during the first week we occupied the building.
As of November, 2012, the Grande Prairie Lions have turned over ownership of the building and land to the Grande Prairie Public School Division but the building will always be called Lions Learning Centre and all partners will have lifetime occupancy, at our option.
To book the Lions Learning Centre for events or activities please contact the Grande Prairie Public School Division Central Office at 780-532-4491.
Like many clubs with more than a half-century of service we have many projects of which we are proud: Lions Park, complete with playground equipment, a spray deck, and a paved surface with a basketball hoop, the surface being convertible for use as an ice-skating rink in the winter; Pioneer Cemetery, the final resting place for victims of a flu epidemic in the early 1900’s, the sandy ridge being the only place where graves could be dug in the winter, and the education bursaries and scholarships we have at Grande Prairie Regional College.
Our service has not been limited to local projects. We have provided support for training guide dogs for handicapped persons, provided computers for visually impaired students, sponsored Lions Youth Camps and Lions Youth Exchange, provided donations to LCIF, to name just a few. We have sponsored several children through a Foster Child program that we have with our twinned club...the Moratura Lions....and have shipped approximately 100,000 pairs of used eyeglasses not just to the Moratuwa Lions to distribute freely to those who need glasses, but also through the Canadian Eyeglass Recycling Centre located in Calgary from where the used glasses are sent to many parts of the world to provide vision assistance to people in need.
In 1990 Grande Prairie Lions purchased our first community-use building named the Hillcrest Centre, a former church, which we renovated into meeting space (for us and for community use) and rental space which housed the “Cool Aid Society”, a local youth support group. The Club President and Secretary signed a personal note for $90,000(CDN) to finance the project. I guess they had the right stuff: the President has been my CST on two occasions, and the Secretary [my wife Donna] was District Governor in 1995-96).
Our activities and that of the youth group soon outgrew the available space. In addition, the building was not handicapped accessible. We needed to find a new home. After much discussion, our club decided to proceed with another “bricks and boards” project which we would own or share with others in the community, which would be our “home”, and which would display the Lions logo. We explored several options, including a Seniors Residence.
Our club had been involved with two groups which provided much needed service and support to youth; “Bridge Network”, an outreach school / alternative learning / storefront school project, and “Pregnant Teen Program” (Society for Support to Pregnant and Parenting Teens), both operated under the auspices of the Grande Prairie Public School Division.
Those two groups needed a permanent home. After several false starts, an agreement was struck with the groups and their parent organization (GPPSD).
A steering committee representing all the “Partners” was formed to develop the concept. An architectural firm was retained and a construction management firm was engaged by the tender process. The “Partner” members sat in on every planning and construction site meeting, and even attended tender openings. A fourth “Partner”, Council for Lifelong Learning, joined the group.
Significant government funding was available since part of the building was dedicated to education. Each partner brought their energies, their assets and their earning power to the table. Land was provided from Municipal Reserve ( the law here for schools). Every possible government grant was explored, every potential charitable foundation was solicited, the proceeds of the sale of our previous building were added to the pot, we canvassed the community, we applied to and received from LCIF a grant of $60,000 US, and the club borrowed $1,200,000 (CDN) from RBC Financial Services, using the facility as collateral.
Construction finally started in the Spring of 2002, occupancy took place during the Christmas break (Dec. 2002 /Jan. 2003), and the first revenue event was during the first week we occupied the building.
As of November, 2012, the Grande Prairie Lions have turned over ownership of the building and land to the Grande Prairie Public School Division but the building will always be called Lions Learning Centre and all partners will have lifetime occupancy, at our option.
To book the Lions Learning Centre for events or activities please contact the Grande Prairie Public School Division Central Office at 780-532-4491.
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