Date: 9/22/2021
As a resident-business owner in Wilbraham who has instructed many fitness classes and special events at our senior center, I share with urgency that we are in dire need of a larger facility with appropriate spaces for the activities held in town. I am in awe of the skill it has taken for staff to finagle events successfully in such a tiny environment. The current conditions are uncomfortable at best and hazardous at worst. There is not nearly enough accommodation to safely host events in the two to three cramped activity rooms available.
In the years that I have taught at this location, we have had to turn people away, since there is not enough room. Most activities have a waiting list if they are popular, due to the lack of space. Students have bumped into each other during fitness sessions and have inadvertently played footsies during yoga. The floors are what one would see in a school, not in a fitness class. For this, a more cushioned surface that reduces shock on the joints is recommended for all ages, especially for seniors. The current tile is slippery and unsafe in a fitness/dance environment. People have fallen and injured themselves.
An added frustration for participants is that there is usually a line for the restrooms (of which there are only three for sometimes as many as 60 people, which is insufficient). There is also virtually no waiting area, especially when community services are hosted in the center at the same time as weekly activities. The hallway becomes clogged with people standing and waiting for appointments or classes, blocking the space for those who need to get anywhere. This is not safe, nor is it accessible, for anyone using assistive mobility devices, such as walkers.
These are only a few professional observations regarding the current situation. I am not a senior citizen, but do care about the quality of life for everyone. Our active seniors have supported the requirements of others for years. It is imperative that their needs are finally met in an appropriate fashion with an adequate senior center.
Michelle Caron
Wilbraham
