Jerry Forbes Centre

[jon]

The late Jerry Forbes, not to be confused with son Gerry Forbes (CJAY-FM Calgary), more or less ran CHED Radio from its initial signon until his death on September 24, 1981. He founded Santas Anonymous as a charitable arm of CHED shorted after the station hit the airwaves.

Edmonton city council gives land for Jerry Forbes Centre
Building will be used for Santas Anonymous and Christmas Bureau
By Gordon Kent, edmontonjournal.com
May 4, 2010

EDMONTON — City councillors gave an early Christmas present to Edmonton charities Tuesday when they provided land for a proposed new south-side non-profit centre.

Santas Anonymous and the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton want to build the $21-million Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit on city property at 4803 58th Ave., says a report.

The two groups provide Christmas toys and meals for poor Edmonton families.

The 6,300-square-metre facility would include office, meeting, warehouse and workshop space, which would partly be rented by other volunteer organizations.

Santas Anonymous operated with donated warehouses for most of the last decade, although it has now leased room until its 2011 campaign, project leader Debbie Walker told the transportation and public works committee.

More than 60 groups have expressed interest in using the centre, which won’t require city funding to cover operating costs, she said.

They hope to start construction next May and finish in November 2012 if they raise enough money, which will come mainly from the city, provincial and federal governments.

The city will provide the 1.7-hectare site, worth $3.2 million, for $1 a year. Councillors will discuss during a budget-adjustment meeting later this month whether to provide the further $2 million being requested.

“I think this is a very positive project,” Coun. Amarjeet Sohi said.

“This really speaks to how we’re changing our way of working with the non-profit sector.”

This is the second new south-side non-profit centre in two days to win kudos from councillors.

They will also talk at the May 26 budget meeting about giving $2.3 million to the Edmonton Korean Community Centre Foundation to build a facility in Ellerslie for various multicultural and community groups.

ref. - http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Cit ... story.html