A ceremony was held on Monday to commemorate the refurbishment of the Kiwanis Seniors' Village monument.
The monument, located at 4702 33rd St., was first unveiled 13 years ago in recognition of the work by the Red Deer Kiwanis club to address the need for seniors housing for those with limited income.
In 1954, the club set up the Red Deer Twilight Homes Foundation to raise money to build and operate affordable seniors housing.
"It is my understanding that this was the first seniors housing initiative of its kind in Canada," said foundation chair Paul Gowans about the Twilight Cottages developed in 1954 and Twilight Lodge in 1956.
By the end of 2008, the foundation had 354 low-rental housing units. Projects included Centennial Courts, Barrett Place, and more.
To commemorate the housing initiative, the Kiwanis Seniors' Village monument, was installed in front of Centennial Kiwanis Court. On Monday, the stone monument displayed a new plaque and fresh paint.
Piper Creek Foundation, now called Bridges Community Living, took over the operation of the seniors housing projects in 2009.
Red Deer Twilight Homes Foundation, now a benevolent society, supports the well being of seniors and other projects in the Red Deer area. Between 1982 to 2023, the foundation has made substantial donations to the community.
