Senior Center Updates

Below is the latest in our efforts

to build a new Senior Center:

CURRENT EFFORTS TO BUILD A STAND-ALONE SENIOR CENTER

9/5/23: The Select Board, after dissolving the SS/CCBC, created a new committee to identify and recommend a viable site; oversee and administer the necessary due diligence and conceptual design for the purposes of recommending the site to the select board for appropriate consideration by a future town meeting for the acquisition of the recommended site(s); oversee and conduct the necessary public outreach; identify and secure funding for the land acquisition and design of the project to include town meeting approval; oversee the final design and construction of the project; develop, oversee, and administer a construction budget for the project to include town meeting approval and to conduct all meetings of the senior center building committee in accordance with the provisions of the open meeting law and in accordance with the provisions of the public records law. The committee will also provide periodic public updates and shall be provided with appropriate and reasonable levels of professional and administrative support from the town managers office; town departments; and professional consultants as warranted and with approved funding. 

The this meeting, the Select Board authorized $60,000 in ARPA Funds for the Committee to use for site selection and acquisition due diligence such as: issue an RFP looking for land, preliminary land investigation fees (21e report/testing; appraisals; wetlands flagging; survey work) and the engagement of an architect.

Members and pertinent documents can be found here. 

COMBINED SENIOR CENTER & COMMUNITY CENTER AT PIRONE PARK (NO LONGER VIABLE)

9/5/23:  The Select Board, at the recommendation of the Senior Center/Community Center Building Committee (SS/CCBC), dissolved said committee.  See the SS/CCBC final report here.

8/10/23: the Parks Commission voted 4-0 (with one abstention)  to revoke authorization to use Field 6 of Pirone Park for the building of a senior/community center. 

June - August 2023:  The SC/CCBC explored due diligence items such as: the Article 97 process, soliciting letter proposals from architecta, crafting initial public outreach documents, and working with AOECD on potential funding mechanisms.    

5/16/23:  Select Board voted (3-0) to appoint the nine members of the Senior Center/Community Center Building Committee (SS/CCBC) as follows: Mr. Dennis Curran (COA Rep); Dr. Katie Petrossi (COA Director); Mr. Kevin Malantic (Parks Commission Rep); Mr. Jeff Thomas (Parks Director); Mr. Ken Diskin (Planning Board Rep); Mr. Dan Van Schalkwyk (DPW Director); Ms. Ellen Fitzpatrick (Resident Rep); Ms. Christine Logan (Resident Rep); Ms. Marge Withee (Resident Rep). charged with the oversight and further development of the Pirone Park site location for the project; oversight of the conceptual plan development to include extensive public outreach and participation in the conceptual design; identify and secure funding for the design of the project to include town meeting approval; oversee the final design of the project; develop and administer the construction budget for the project to include town meeting approval; oversee the construction of the project; and provide periodic public updates to the Select Board. The building committee was subject to all provisions of the open meeting law (hold publicly posted meetings) and in accordance with the provisions of the public records law (maintain and issue meeting minutes).  

4/24/23:  Senior Center Update Presentation at the Senior Center (for those who missed the 3/14 presentation)

4/4/23:  Select Board voted to create a Building Committee for the purposes of pursuing a Senior/Community Center - A Center for Active Living - at Pirone Park.

3/27/23:  Select Board voted to accept the recommendation of the Senior Center Site Selection Committee to pursue building a combined-use community center, a Center for Active Living, in partnership with Parks & Rec, at Pirone Park.

3/14/23:  Senior Center Update Presentation at the Senior Center

EARLY WORK (2018-2022)

2022: Site Selection Working Group advanced the search for land for a senior center.  See their final report here.

October 2020:  At the Fall ATM, a warrant article to purchase land on West Main Street was tabled due to concerns regarding environmental contamination, price, etc.

2019-2020:  Senior Center Feasibility Study