About Us
Contact
Office Phone: 250-339-5133
Activities Coordinator: Ele Clarke
Individual Activity Contacts
Centre Hours: 8am – 3pm Monday to Friday
Office Hours: 10am – 1pm Monday to Friday. Some activities or classes may take a summer break, please check with the activity coordinators. All closed on Stat Holidays or if schools are closed due to weather.
Kitchen Hours: 8am – 12:30pm Monday to Friday
Gift Shop Hours: 10am – 1pm Monday to Friday
Location
Address: d’Esterre Seniors Centre, 1801 Beaufort Ave., Comox, B.C., V9M 1R9
There is a bus stop right outside the Centre’s main entrance on Beaufort Avenue. A light-operated crosswalk on Beaufort Avenue makes a safe entrance to the main door. Parking is available on Beaufort Avenue, across that street in a parking lot, and on Wilcox Street. For people with mobility challenges, there are two parking spots on Beaufort and two more below the building off Wilcox Street. If using the Wilcox parking, there is an elevator inside to take you to the main upper floor. Two electric vehicle charging stations are across Wilcox Street.
Use the Google Map below for location and navigation.
Leadership
EXECUTIVE 2024-2025
Immediate Past-President: Raymond Morin
Vice President: Susan Toresdahl
Secretary: Lois Higgins
Town Rep.: Chris Haslett
Executive Director: Alex Jegier
DIRECTORS 2024-2025
Peggy Rasmus
History
The d’Esterre House Seniors’ Centre was officially opened on June 25, 1975 by Lieutenant-Governor Walter Owen. The core group of 10 Senior Citizens has now grown to a membership of over 800.
Where did the name come from?
Mr. d’Esterre (affectionately known as Dusty) died early in the 1970’s and in his will he left two-fifths of his valuable waterfront property to the Town of Comox and the other three-fifths to two friends. The property could not be easily subdivided and as the Council had recently completed a marina at the foot of the property, they negotiated to purchase the balance of the property in order to develop Marina Park.
There were two buildings, one an old frame house which was eventually torn down and replaced with the current Senior Centre. The other building, known as “Dusty’s Den”, is now the Town of Comox Council Chambers. Our current building is offered to the Centre free of charge by the Town of Comox. We also acknowledge the contribution of the Rotary Club of Comox through the years.
Historical Highlights
- At a Council meeting, April 7, 1975 Council agreed to proceed with the building of a Social Centre for Senior Citizens.
- The first Executives, President Bill Gaze, Vice-President Beatrice Radford, Secretary George King, Treasurer Eileen Turnbull, were elected on September 15, 1976.
- The d’Esterre House Senior Centre Association received the Certificate of Incorporation as a non-profit, charitable organization on January 3, 1978.
- The first newsletter was published in October 1976. Eileen Turnbull was the Editor. Click to see current newsletters.
Constitution and Bylaws
Our Constitution and Bylaws were amended by special resolution May 24, 2016 and were ratified by the Registrar of Companies, Province of British Columbia. Read them here: Constitution and Bylaws amended for Society Act – May 2023 (May 14, 2018)
Acknowledgement
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Town of Comox, Canada’s New Horizon for Seniors program, BC Gaming Commission, Comox Valley Community Foundation, Coastal Community Credit Union, our donors, members and volunteers.
