Senior Centre Downtown House is celebrating 50 years of fellowship in Red Deer.
Located on the edge of the downtown at 5414 43rd St., seniors regularly stop in for weekday lunches and card games. Tournaments for whist/euchre and cribbage will be held this fall, along with carpet bowling, floor curling, square dancing and live music events. A jam session is held twice a month, and the Tony Connelly Singers entertain each week.
Downtown House invites the public to attend its 50th anniversary breakfast on Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Admission is free with live music on the stage.
The idea for the activity centre all began with a few seniors who liked to meet for coffee at the old Club Cafe. As the group and its activities grew, they moved into the basement of the cafe. After relocating twice, Senior Centre Downtown House opened at its current site.
An article published in the Advocate in the spring of 1974 reported that almost 200 people attended the centre's grand opening held on April 4 of that year. The afternoon ribbon cutting was followed by food and fun into the early evening.
"At the conclusion of the evening program when all joined hands and sang Auld Lang Syne there was a general feeling that Downtown House was here to stay," wrote Isla Wagers, who helped establish Downtown House.
"We had just enjoyed a delightful program of films, poems by Robert Brownlee, and Mrs. Lois Gilmore (Charlie Parker's daughter) had sung for us while Mrs. Dora Holman accompanied her on the piano and together they had led us in an old fashion singsong."
The Advocate reported that when the Golden Circle opened in 1977 it was supposed to replace Downtown House, but pressure from downtown seniors kept Downtown House open.
Downtown House currently has about 110 members, and continues to be run by volunteers. Annual membership is $20.
Senior Centre Downtown House rents the 43rd Street building. Operational funding is raised through activity fees, renting out the space for events, and hosting celebrations like an Oktoberfest supper and Robbie Burns Night.
For more information about the centre call 403-346-4043.
