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Gazebos at Ayre Manor!

In October 2020, Sandy Pednault at Ayre Manor contacted Neil Flynn of the Rotary Club of Sooke about creating an outdoor meeting space for our residents and staff. Neil met with Sandy, Kerry, Steve and Larry to kick around some ideas, look at locations and talk about possible solutions. Our goal was to create an environment where residents can safely meet with family and friends within Island Health guidelines, which is difficult with the current restrictions and can result in isolation, loneliness and depression for residents.

Additional uses for a space could include staff meetings, residents-to-staff sessions, outdoor resting areas and more. Through considerable thought and consultations, the plan evolved into a pair of gazebos that could safely host as many as four small groups at a time or, under the right conditions, one or two larger groups. In the future, these spaces will be used for training workshops, programs and many other functions.

Each gazebo is approx. 100 square feet (10 square meters) with solid, weatherproof roofs and optional removable vinyl walls for seasonal use. They are wheelchair accessible and located a short distance from the front doors.

On April 15, 2021, we completed the base preparation, forming and retaining wall. The concrete bases and sidewalks were poured April 21. On a warm and sunny Friday, April 23, Rotarians and friends worked hard and had fun proceeding with the wood framing to assemble the gazebos. It was rewarding and enjoyable!

The Rotary Club of Sooke is proud to have completed the project. By June 2021, the landscaping finishing touches were done and the last coat of stain is applied. Residents, guests and staff are now enjoying this new “safe meeting place” for visitations, gatherings and more.

A HUGE THANK YOU to the Rotary Club of Sooke, Anderson General Contracting, Butler Concrete & Aggregate and Sooke Home Hardware for support building the project through means of materials and services.