Ponteix is rich in cultural and bilingual history and is the focal point for the surrounding prairie farming and ranching community with agricultural-related businesses in operation. The business community encompasses a trading area of approximately 3,500 people.
There are many good reasons to choose to locate in Ponteix. The community offers a clean, safe and serene environment with numerous services and amenities of a diverse business community. The Town has a complete infrastructure system capable of accommodating everyone’s needs that also include all paved streets and beautifully well maintained green and recreation areas.
The community offers an abundance of residency and business options and opportunities. Ponteix also offers excellent health, fire, ambulance, police and educational services that include Day Care, a Francophone School and a Public School.
(From http://www.townofponteix.com/default.aspx?page=23)
Milestones:
Milestone 1: Formed an Age Friendly Committee
The committee was formed in 2015 with its main purpose taking care of all the community. Annette Labelle is contact person.
Milestone 2: Received support of municipal government
Letter of support sent from town council, and members of the town office sit in on all meetings.
Milestone 3: Assess community
No formal assessment has been done.
Milestone 4: Develop an action plan
Items in initial action plan: The priority was set on health issues and access to buildings in town
Milestone 5: Measuring and reporting details
Progress and what was reported: We have minutes of our meetings since the beginning.
Age-Friendly Successes:
- Walking group of seniors has integrated picking up garbage and recyclable items on their walks to help beautify their village and, through receiving refunds from SARCAN for the recyclables, raising funds for the new swimming pool which will have a ramp to enter the pool.
- Some seniors have started going to the local school to have children read to them, after which the seniors ask the children questions to see if they have understood what they have read.
- Seniors have brought stamp collecting into the school to help the children in developing their vocabulary and geographical knowledge.
- Four seniors work in a community garden and share the produce with other seniors who are not able to garden.
- An intergenerational composting project has been successful.
- Visiting elders in the nursing home is a joy.
- Meals on wheels are distributed regularly.
- An intergenerational penpal project was successful.
- Presentations through Webinaire, both available through home computers and at the school after hours, were available for seniors on topics such as social funding, nursing homes, safety at home, and other topics.
- Seniors were active in letter writing campaigns after government funding cuts.
- Presentations are being offered by local members of the community about living with chronic pain.
- Ponteix participated in the Age Friendly video produced by Age Friendly Saskatchewan. This can be viewed on the Age Friendly Saskatchewan website. https://www.agefriendlysk.ca/
- The Royer cultural centre opens its hall for coffee to all seniors between 2 and 3 p.m.
- The cultural centre offers to its seniors a billiard room three times a week, free of charge.
- Films from the National Film Board are presented regularly to the members of the school and the community including the seniors. Some films are during the days and some in the evenings.
- The Town of Ponteix has sent to the Francophone seniors’ association a letter of support for the Age-Friendly file.
- Members of the town council have been participating in committees working on improving life in Ponteix, such as the Health file.
- The whole town is participating in fund raising activities to change our swimming pool built in 1971. The new pool will have a ramp for mothers and babies and for the seniors, to better have access.