CITY councillors hope to find out next week if they can afford to give $10,000 toward the construction of a residence for people undergoing treatment at the cancer centre now being built in Prince George.
Gerry Martin, chair of the Canadian Cancer Society’s northwest campaign to raise money for the $10 million Kordyban Lodge, appeared at council May 24 asking the city to donate 75 cents for each of its citizens.
That followed an unsuccessful effort by the cancer society to persuade the Kitimat-Stikine regional district to donate $1 for each person within its area.
The regional district instead agreed to donate 25 cents per person, leading Martin to ask the city to top up the amount for each person within its boundaries.
“Basically, they are residences for people there who are undergoing cancer treatment, and they provide low-cost accommodation in a very loving and caring atmosphere, and they have all kinds of other services there as well,” Martin explained of the society’s lodges, which are located in Vancouver, Victoria, and Kelowna.
He estimated that around 1,200 people from northern BC stay in the lodges every year.
Martin said the city will receive a plaque with its name on it to be displayed at the lodge if it provides a minimum $10,000.
Councillor Bruce Martindale recommended donating $10,000 to the lodge, with councillor Carol Leclerc seconding the motion.
Martindale said the cancer clinic in Prince George will give the community better access to professionals and specialists.
“The more we can support the success of that program, and I think this lodge really does, the better it is for our overall community health as well, in terms of the services we’ll have here,” he said.
Councillor Brian Downie agreed, saying it was important to show support to the facility because it benefits residents.
“It’s an asset for the future, and if people can go to Prince George from this area….then it’s something there for them,” he said. “Ten thousand dollars in the scheme of this…project is small, but certainly, every dollar helps. My view of it is that we should…stretch our budget as much as we can to try and make it.”
Councillor Bruce Bidgood said he agreed with the benefits of the lodge, but said he first wants city officials to determine if the money is available.
“We don’t usually make these kinds of allocations without budgetary consideration,” he said. “We spend a whole year counting pennies…for community grants…and I’d like to see a recommendation from administration to see how that fits in.”
Council is expected to hear from administration and continue discussions in its June 13 council meeting.
Martin said he’ll also be asking other municipalities to top up the regional district’s sum to raise money for the lodge.
The 25,000-square-foot, 36-bed lodge is to be located immediately adjacent to the Northern Health Authority’s new cancer treatment centre in Prince George.
The lodge will provide meal services as well as other features to support patients, including a family room, the spiritual and meditation room, a lounge, massage therapy room, library, activity room, exercise facility, and wig and prosthetics rooms.
The Kordyban family donated $2 million, and $1 million came from the Novak family. Another $1 million was donated by West Fraser Timber.
The province also announced at the end of May that it would be donating $2 million towards the lodge.
It is scheduled to open to patients in the fall of 2012.
