A $20,000 grant being sought by the city of Coquitlam will help the community engage inactive seniors and increase their participation in recreational activities close to home.
With an aging population, the money, which would be provided by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, is intended to give the elderly the opportunity to age in place.
If the city is successful in obtaining the grant, the funds would go toward outreach initiatives targeting people 50 and older and increase the participation rates at Dogwood Pavilion, a city recreation facility for people of that age range.
But while Coun. Selina Robinson, chair of the city's recreation committee, supported the initiative, she said she was concerned the demographic the city was targeting was too young.
Many 50-year-olds remain active and still have children at home, she said, keeping them connected to the community in other ways.
"I am much more concerned about our older seniors, the 70- to 90-year-olds," she said. "I would prefer we focus on our older adults because they are at much greater risk for isolation."
