The City of Mount Gambier is celebrating positive ageing from Monday 21 October to Friday 1 November 2019 with a program of events for those in the community aged 55 and over. The program coincides with ZestFest, a statewide festival for modern ageing, and provides opportunities for residents in this demographic to get out and about in Mount Gambier through a range of specially programmed events and activities.
The City of Mount Gambier recognises that the way society considers and responds to ageing continues to evolve and has identified a need for programming to adapt accordingly.
“In order to meet the demand for the growing and ageing population Council is looking to reinvigorate its programs, events and activities,” City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin OAM said.
Community consultation was recently conducted to evaluate Council’s annual programming and service delivery for the local population aged 55 and over, resulting in input from almost 200 residents through surveys, interviews, group meetings and roundtable workshops.
Mayor Martin acknowledged that the feedback from the consultation influenced the Positive Ageing program for 2019 in a number of ways.
“As a result of community feedback we have incorporated a number of activities into the program across a variety of council sites to increase awareness of the services offered by Council,” Mayor Martin said.
“We have also increased focus on transport with a partnership with Mount Gambier Buslines to offer free City Bus services to seniors card holders over the two weeks.”
Activities include art and film experiences at The Riddoch & Main Corner Complex and the Oatmill Cinema, cooking classes with local chef Ian Perry, meditation and family history lessons at the Mount Gambier Library and a guided bus tour of Council’s waste sites including exclusive access to the ReUse Market.
There are a variety of activities on offer for all interests and it would be great to see members of our community taking advantage of these unique opportunities, particularly as many activities come at no cost to participants.- Mayor Lynette Martin OAM
The full program of events and activities can be downloaded at www.mountgambier.sa.gov.au/positiveageing or below.
Findings from the community consultation will continue to influence Council’s programming and service delivery in 2020, with particular focus on areas such as improving awareness of local services, reviewing the accessibility of transport services and an increased variety of events and activities. A summary of the findings from the consultation can be found at www.haveyoursaymountgambier.com.au
Media contact: City of Mount Gambier Communications Officer Ashlea Watson on 08 8721 2577 or awatson@mountgambier.sa.gov.au
