Beth Lambert, a regular user of the Apple Valley Senior Center, told the City Council on Aug. 14 that center members oppose proposed design changes and submitted a petition opposing the plans. "The consensus of opinion is we would rather have no changes to the senior center than the ones that are currently being proposed," Lambert said during the council's audience-participation period.
Lambert said she spoke with about 124 people while conducting a survey and that 123 of them backed the petition; organizers reported 154 total signatures representing roughly 15% of membership. She listed priorities she said seniors need in order: keep the current entry and exit doors that sit beside activity spaces; retain on-site senior-center staff rather than relocating them to the community center; expand the coffee lounge if possible but not move it across to the community center; and make restroom doors and toilets more accessible and comfortable-height.
The petitioners asked the city to consider preserving the existing circulation and staffing arrangement because they believe the proposed plans would make the center "less accessible, less safe, and less conducive to enabling Apple Valley seniors to enjoy themselves, improve themselves, and contribute to the community," Lambert said. Michael Lefebvre, who identified himself as a 72-year-old and a former Apple Valley resident, said he understood the desire to keep the spaces separate: "I can see where that design makes a lot of sense. But for the seniors to be involved in an area where the kids are coming in and out of, even though the studies are out there that kids around seniors is really a good thing...too much activity in one space."
Council members and staff treated the remarks as information to be received. City Manager Tom (last name not provided) described the current stage of the project as part of an iterative planning process: plans were developed after an initial round of feedback and now are being reviewed again after receiving comments. Council Member Grandahl questioned the petition's residency mix, saying about half of the names on the petition "aren't [people who] live in Apple Valley," and asked staff to confirm residency of the signers. Council Member Bergman asked staff to bring examples of similar community-center designs elsewhere in Minnesota showing combined or single-entry configurations so the council can compare how entrances function in larger complexes.
No formal action or vote was taken. The mayor indicated staff would follow up with petitioners to discuss concerns and next steps. The comments were received during the audience-participation portion and will be part of the record for ongoing planning work.
The petition and survey results were handed to the city clerk for distribution to council and staff, and petition organizers asked for further meetings to explain their input on the planning process.