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Myriada Senior Center reports rising demand, space and transportation needs
Summary
Senior center staff outlined monthly events, growing attendance at classes and meals, and ongoing needs including more multipurpose space, transportation vouchers and occasional bereavement support.
Senior‑center staff told the Parks and Recreation Commission on Jan. 16 that program attendance has rebounded since COVID and that the Myriada Senior Center is seeing increased demand for classes, meals and social services.
Jeri Copeland described the center’s planned calendar of monthly special events — from Super Bowl game-day gatherings and Valentine’s crafts in February to a Mother’s Day tea in May — and said the lunch program served through the County of Riverside reaches roughly 60–70 seniors per day, down from a recent high near 90 during peak periods.
“We try to do at least one special event a month,” Copeland told commissioners. She described frequent class waitlists, a fitness room priced at $26 per year for Murrieta residents and a book club and other recurring programs. Copeland said some classes routinely fill at registration, with chair-exercise and line-dance classes regularly near capacity.
Copeland said monthly offsite and community-support efforts remain significant: Feeding America distribution at the center now reaches about 290 people each month, and the center receives outside support from groups that sponsor crafts, refreshments and presentations. The county‑run congregate lunch requires participants to be age 60 or older and to complete an intake form; staff said there is no income qualification for the lunch program.
Commissioners and staff discussed two recurring needs: space and transportation. Copeland said the multipurpose room limits the size of many classes and that the center would benefit from an additional multipurpose room. Commissioners also raised transportation challenges for seniors who no longer drive; staff noted Dial‑A‑Ride vouchers and other local support as potential mitigations and confirmed some community donors have provided vouchers in the past. Staff said Dial‑A‑Ride one‑way trips cost about $3, which can add up for daily attendees.
Commissioners asked about bereavement support; Copeland said the center has tried bereavement groups in the past, will try again with a volunteer facilitator and will continue to vet outside presenters to avoid solicitations.
Copeland also outlined the center’s registration process: classes open for signup on the 15th of each month for the following month and many programs fill quickly. Staff said they issued printed welcome packets and maintain a newsletter that spotlights a senior each month.
Copeland and staff asked the commission for continued support as the center manages growth in participation and seeks space and service partnerships to address transportation and program capacity needs.
