Editor:
On reading the article on Nov. 27 in the Williams Lake Tribune, “Donna Barnett acclaimed by local Liberals,” I find Donna’s statement that it was an accomplishment that the Liberals got Deni House open.
As I remember it was the Liberals under Gordon Campbell that decided it was in the best interests for the residents of Deni House, to close the facility. The residents and their families were devastated by this closure.
Before the closure a bus load of concerned seniors travelled to Kamloops to protest their concerns to the Minister of Health George Abbot. Unfortunately Mr. Abbot would not come out of the Canadian Inn to face the seniors.
Meanwhile hundreds of seniors in the Williams Lake and area signed a petition at the Senior Activity Centre to keep Deni House open.
As a result a group of a dozen seniors, myself included, chartered a plane to be in Victoria when Charlie Wyse, our MLA for Cariboo Chilcotin presented the petition at the legislative assembly, stating that the residents of Williams Lake and area did not want Deni House to be closed. Regardless of the petition Deni House was closed and the residents were moved to Retirement Concepts Seniors Village.
If it were not for the Regional Cariboo District taxpayers providing the money to pay for the renovations to upgrade Deni House the residence would still remain closed.
Winnifred Gooding
Past-president of the O.A.P.O Branch 93
Williams Lake
