Date: 9/22/2021
Wilbraham is considered by many to be a great place to live. The schools are excellent, the police station is new, the Fire Department is renovated. The emergency equipment available is state of the art. More importantly, these resources are staffed with dedicated, top-notch individuals who are committed to providing quality services to residents and to all who are “passing though.” The teachers and administrators in the schools are credentialed and committed. The schools produce students who go on, both near and far, to improve the lives of others, contribute to the economy and support local businesses.
This raises the question – one posed to the “not quite thinking about growing old” or those confronting the issues of aging parents: When you are done needing the schools to be top notch, the recreational opportunities prolific, sports fields pristine, outdoor spaces to be impressive…what do you hope this town will have to offer you?
There is an effort underway to build a new state of the art senior center. This is not only for our aging population, but for the quality of life for our town. We hope it will provide information for family members as they try to support an aging parent, to provide direct services to those in need and ultimately to make quality services, resources, and opportunities available to our senior population as Wilbraham does to our youth. It will provide a community venue to support our various clubs and organizations during off hours. It will provide an easily accessible polling place that will not disrupt the high school on election days.
As we all hopefully approach the days when our kids are grown and our personal needs evolve, we are encouraged to invest in the future of our town, of our own futures by supporting the building of a new senior center. One that will be as productive as our schools, as high quality as our town services and as beautiful as our open spaces and sports fields. Our needs are changing, it is time for us to invest in our future.
Please attend one of the upcoming information sessions to learn about the new proposed senior center. Learn what it will cost the average taxpayer and how it will affect the quality of the lives of our growing senior population. Financing and funding are being reviewed by town personnel and will be discussed at these forums.
The Special Town Meeting will be on Oct. 18 to vote on this project. If approved, plan on voting in the special town election on Oct. 23. If approved and funded, the new senior center building could be open for use by the end of 2023 or early 2024. Feel free to reach out to the Senior Center Building Committee with comments or questions at seniorinfo2021@gmail.com or 596-2800 ext. 315.
Linda Tatko Cooper
Wilbraham
