Committee recommends staff consult senior board before renaming Smithville Senior Center

Staff presented background on the Smithville Senior Center, its history and contract with the senior board, and a staff recommendation to rename the facility to attract broader use. The building opened in 2013 and was used exclusively for senior services until 2019, when the Board of Aldermen directed staff to expand community rentals outside senior hours.

The Parks and Recreation staff member explained that research and local programming trends indicate some older adults and prospective participants perceive a stigma around the word "senior," and staff recommended the working name "Smithville Activity Center" to make the facility feel more inclusive while keeping senior services in place.

"I want to make it clear ... in no shape or form are we looking to remove senior services out of the building," the staff member said, noting the senior board retains a contract for exclusive morning use Monday through Friday until 2 p.m. The staff member added the building seats roughly 50 people and that some lunches have reached 55 attendees, which the 2021 master plan cited as evidence the community may need a larger facility.

Committee members discussed alternatives including keeping "senior" in the name (for clarity to older residents), using terms such as "Silver Center," or adopting "Smithville Community Center". Several members said the name change is primarily a marketing decision intended to broaden rentals and program participants and that the website and program pages could continue to indicate senior programming explicitly.

A committee motion that staff consult and present the proposed name change to the senior board and return with the senior board's comments was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote (all in favor). No changes to senior services or the seniors' contract were made at the meeting; staff will return with senior board feedback and any recommended next steps for the Board of Aldermen.