GREENFIELD — A group of about 30 seniors gathered on the Town Common Wednesday afternoon, chanting, dancing and holding signs in support of a new senior center building.
“The seniors decided to hold a rally because they want to get people excited about the senior center project — as excited as they are. You can say they’re pretty pumped up,” said Hope Macary, director of the Senior Center and Council on Aging, gesturing to the crowd of men and women waving their arms and dancing to songs including “Footloose” and “Sweet Caroline,” blaring from a car speaker parked in front of the common.
“They organized it all … it was a real homegrown effort. They’re representing a lot of the seniors who couldn’t or wouldn’t come out on the common to have a rally,” she said.
Last month, Town Council rejected a request to borrow $5.25 million to construct the new building, as well as an amended amount of $4.75 million. However, Council Vice President Isaac Mass filed a motion for reconsideration the following day, allowing the council to vote, once again, on funding the senior center next Wednesday.
At-Large Councilor Penny Ricketts participated in the rally Wednesday, holding a sign that said, “Keep seniors in the budget.” She said she wanted to let seniors know she supports them.
“I really believe in it that much that I’m willing to put myself out there. I know that there are people that are going to come after me for this one, but I choose my battles and I’m all in on this one,” she said.
Councilors who rejected funding the building said they did so because of the price tag as well as what they saw as a lack of multi-use options. However, Mayor William Martin said the building has always been planned as a combination senior/community center and will feature a large, fully wired room that can be closed off from the rest of the building and used after hours for meetings and other activities.
The Senior Center Building Committee is working with the architect and project manager to price out alternative plans for the project, which include reducing the building’s square footage to cut costs.
Ricketts said she thinks if the price drops by $1.5 million, that may be enough to sway those councilors who originally opposed it.
“I really don’t know what criteria they’re looking for and it was such a close vote, I really have no idea how it stands right now,” she said. “I’m a little scared and that’s why I’m here.”
During the rally, participants handed out fact sheets outlining problems with the current Senior Center, which is housed in the basement of the Weldon House. Those issues include inadequate space, health and safety concerns due to ventilation and mold problems, limited parking, no weather-protected area for those awaiting public transportation, and a minimum level of compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act.
“The state of that facility is so horrible and there are many times where we’ll have three different things going on in one room, and a lot of seniors have trouble hearing and you can’t even hear yourself speak over someone else,” Council on Aging member Janice Colbert said. “It’s not right that seniors shouldn’t have a place that they can go to that’s a good facility. I just look at all the other towns around here and they have such beautiful senior centers, and I guess I don’t understand why Greenfield hasn’t been able to do that — and I hope they can.”
A 98-year-old resident named Esther White was among the demonstrators and said without the Senior Center she wouldn’t have anywhere to go. She said she’s been going there three or four times a week for the last 20 years to take advanced aerobics classes and play bridge.
“I think we really need a center, everything’s falling apart and we need more room,” she said. “I’d really like to see one before I go.”
Gill resident Denise Petrin also came to drum up support for the project, saying even though she doesn’t live in Greenfield anymore, she’s still able to use the center.
Petrin said she wanted to help make the community aware of what’s happening and to encourage residents to contact their town councilosr to urge them to support the funding.
Town Council next meets Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the GCTV studio, 393 Main St.
You can reach Aviva Luttrell at:
aluttrell@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 268
On Twitter: @AvivaLuttrell