Gardner Senior Center outlines move to Waterford Street School, addresses water and access concerns

Gardner Senior Center leadership updated the council on plans to relocate operations to the Waterford Street School, describing ongoing renovations, safety and access features, equipment and programming changes that would take effect with the move.

Michael, the center director, told the council an information session about the Waterford Street School drew roughly 100 attendees and that city and school leaders had walked through the building to define the work needed before the senior center moves in. He addressed long-standing community concerns about water in the school’s basement, saying he inspected the space and found it dry in most areas. “I’m in this building for many many more hours than anyone else,” Michael said, adding he would not move the center into a space that presented health or safety hazards.

The director summarized key facility changes: bathroom renovations are underway and will provide at least the same number of fixtures as the center currently has; entrances that would serve the senior center can be secured and alarmed to prevent after-hours access; additional interior doors will be locked and alarmed so shared-use activities will not allow public access to the senior area.

Staff outlined program and technology improvements planned for the new site. The design includes a dedicated technology room with a minimum of six new computers, larger conference space, a library area and dedicated rooms for activities such as pool, ping-pong and crafts. The cafeteria/auditorium will be used for larger exercise and activity classes; if noise interferes with quiet programs (such as yoga), the center will use the gymnasium as a fallback. As Michael put it: “Worst case scenario, if we can't do those quiet activities ... we'll move into the gymnasium.”

Safety and medical readiness were discussed. Staff said the center maintains two Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), large medical response kits and first-responder supplies; staff who work more than 19 hours a week are required to hold current CPR and first-aid certification. The center also said it will continue securing funding and coordinating with partner nonprofits so shared building tenants have equivalent access to emergency supplies.

Michael provided program and service metrics for fiscal year 2024 and recent activity: the center reported about 4,000 unique individuals served, roughly 960 volunteers who provided an estimated $300,000 in donated labor, and outreach that enrolled 430 seniors in the Senior Buy-In Medicaid program. Michael said enrollment in that program removes a typical $187-per-month Medicare Part B premium for enrolled seniors; he calculated the year-long effect as money returned to participants’ pocketbooks. He also reported SNAP/HIP enrollments, farmer-market coupons totaling about $15,000 given to seniors over two years, RAFT emergency-assistance enrollments of about 30 individuals totaling more than $210,000, and outreach that connected roughly 40 veterans to the Veterans Service Officer, yielding monthly benefits in individual cases.

Council members asked questions about egress, bathroom counts, space configuration and noise. Staff confirmed unit ventilator locations leave unplumbed wall space in each room, which would make adding an exterior egress less invasive than initially assumed. On the question of quiet programming adjacent to the cafeteria, staff noted room furnishings (pool and ping-pong tables, library shelving) will be static but that the double-wide gymnasium provides a fallback for classes that require quieter space or separation.

The presentation included a reminder that several items remain contingent on construction schedules and final design decisions; staff said they will report further details and bring any required modifications to the council for approval.

The council moved next to other agenda items after the update; no formal vote was recorded on the relocation plan at this meeting.