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Valley Recreation Center plans facility refresh and a Healthy Aging Expo; senior services expand programming
Summary
Staff described a facility refresh at Valley Recreation Center, expanded senior services programming and a Healthy Aging Expo on April 17. Staff said funding will come from the conservation trust fund and a local trust, and they expect the expo to draw both nonprofit and for-profit resource providers for older adults.
Nancy Baum, senior services manager at the Valley Recreation Center, told the Parks & Recreation Commission that the center is expanding programs for older adults and planning a near-term facility refresh.
Baum said U.S. Census–based research shows a large share of Englewood residents are older adults; she summarized those results as "about 32% of the population is 50 or older" and said roughly 20% are 60 or older. Baum said the center is expanding programming in food security, nutrition, safety, technology assistance, housing and aging-in-place services and is planning additional outreach to learn where older residents live and what services they need.
Facility updates and funding Staff said the Valley facility will receive new flooring, updated electrical and Wi-Fi, new cardio equipment, an advanced training corner and refreshed free-weight and functional-training spaces. Staff said a new circuit-training system is planned in about a year.
Baum said much of the Valley refresh will be funded from the conservation trust fund and a local trust that meets quarterly (referred to in the meeting as the NALI trust fund); staff said the two sources combined will fund the project.
Healthy Aging Expo and programs Christine Leggi, recreation coordinator for excursions and outdoor programs, said the center will host a Healthy Aging Expo on Thursday, April 17 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the center. Leggi said staff expect about 450 attendees and listed roughly 77 vendors registered for the event, of which 29 are nonprofits. "We have everything from Parkinson's nonprofits... to transportation representatives... and the police department," she said, describing outreach to groups that provide health, housing, meal and volunteer services for older adults.
Program access and staffing Shelly Fitzpelli, recreation supervisor, said fitness and arts programming at the center has growing demand and many classes have wait lists; staff said they may request additional staffing to meet demand. Fitzpelli said the center has personal trainers and can accommodate preferences for trainer gender and individualized training plans.
Staff said excursions and many rec-center programs are open to nonresidents for an additional fee, and they encouraged commissioners and residents to attend the Healthy Aging Expo.
What’s next: staff said they will continue outreach to older residents to fine-tune programming, complete the facility refresh, and bring circuit-training equipment in about a year.
