Help Us Rebuild for the Future

Help Us Rebuild for the Future

Dear Denman Residents:

The Board of Directors of the Denman Seniors and Museum Society (DSMS) cordially invite you to take part in a short survey about the future of the Denman Activity Centre (DAC).   With increased gym access requests by a variety of different groups, the Board desires to ensure that use of our spaces is reflective of the whole community.

Our community is active and supportive, with neighbours regularly helping one another and gathering at places like the Community Hall and Activity Centre.  Sharing our Activity Centre with the youth of our community is more than just offering space – it’s an investment in the future of our island.  When young people have a place to gather, learn and grow, they develop confidence, creativity and a sense of belonging that every thriving community needs.  Sharing our Activity Centre is not about giving something up – it’s about giving something back.  It’s about showing our young people that they matter, they belong and we believe in them.   The Denman Seniors and Museum Society (DSMS) Board is committed to supporting our youth and have recently established a window of opportunity for youth activities from 2:30 to 4:30 on Monday through Friday during the school year.  This block will appear on the Activity Centre’s gym schedule starting in January 2026.

To further the Board’s investment in youth, we are proposing to amend our current bylaws to remove an age restriction on membership in the society. The bylaws state that a member must be 45 years old to join and/or serve as a Board Director.  Additionally, the bylaws state that at least half of the Board is required to be 65 years or older.  The Board is proposing two constitutional amendments to remove these age restrictions.  The resolutions will be presented to the Society’s membership for approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) on December 15^th.  A $10 registration fee for membership in the Society will be collected at the door prior to the meeting.  Further details of the AGM will be published separately.

For historical context, the DSMS originated with the rock, fossil, and seashell collection of Doras and Jim Kirk, initially exhibited at the General Store in the 1950s and 1960s before being relocated to their residence. Over time, additional items were contributed by residents, leading to establishment of a museum space.  The  Society was officially founded in 1980.  In 1981, Dr. Tess Trueman confirmed that the seniors club would preserve the Kirk collection as the nucleus of a future activity centre, generously donating land and facilitating architectural support. DSMS was established primarily to serve the senior population following the transfer of the Community Hall to younger adults who settled on Denman Island in the early 1970s. The inception of both the Seniors Club and museum was driven by the local residents’ aspiration for a dedicated facility.

For those who may not know, the DAC features a fitness centre, lounge, commercial kitchen and gymnasium. The fitness centre membership is an annual fee of $150 for access to a variety of fitness equipment.  The remaining facilities are available for rent at a reasonable cost.  Rentals can be booked through our booking agent @ denmanactivitycentrebookings@gmail.com.

In 2010/2011, facility spaces were repurposed into the current fitness centre, providing health and fitness opportunities for residents to access instead of traveling off island.  The fitness membership policy, introduced in 2014, gives members access to the fitness centre, and gym access when rentals are not booked. Members can drop in to the gym when available or book a weekly slot as a rental. If no rental is scheduled, they may contact the booking agent to reserve a spot.  Along with fitness memberships, rental income is key to maintaining DAC operations.

Access to the DAC is evolving, with new groups requesting access to our gymnasium.  To ensure we provide activities of interest to the community, we invite you to participate in a short survey on what types of activities and events are of importance to our neighbours. We appreciate your participation in the questionnaire below.  Your feedback is important to us as we journey toward this new adventure.  The results of this survey will be presented at December 15^th AGM.  We look forward to seeing you there.

…DSMS Board of Directors