Wednesday, July 17, marks the end of an era for hundreds of Newtown’s older residents who flocked to the 14 Riverside Road Senior Center to socialize and enjoy meals, exercise classes, bingo, cards, and occasional visits from artists, authors, and politicians as the facility closes its doors at that site for the final time, at 1 pm.

Director of Human Services Natalie Jackson notified The Newtown Bee that a crew of town workers will join staff and volunteers, including members from the Newtown Commission on Aging (COA), the following day to relocate all necessary files, furnishings, and equipment to the brand new Senior Center facility at 8 Simpson Street — adjacent to the Community Center at Fairfield Hills.

The new Senior Center is connected to the new Community Center at that location, with a separate entrance and parking on the western side of the building.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said that a ribbon cutting at the senior facility will follow [naviga:u]a larger ceremonial event at 10 am on Friday, July 19[/naviga:u]. And while residents and visitors will be welcome to tour the entire new facility, programming at the senior center will not reconvene until Monday, July 22, Ms Jackson said.

At some point in the near future, the COA will be coordinating a tag sale at the former Riverside Road center to liquidate all remaining furnishings and items that were determined to not be needed at the new location.

Once the tag sale is over and any remaining items have been cleared out, local officials will begin the task of finding a new tenant for the vacant space. The Children’s Adventure Center child care operation currently uses about 5,000 square feet of the roughly 10,700-square-foot public building.

Mr Rosenthal has said one of the near future options for the building could involve expanding the child care operation, which has a lifetime lease.

The Adventure Center serves children ages 3 to 6 year round, Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm, with full-day and half-day preschool programs, as well as providing before and after school programs and nutritious meal services.

The organization — which is National Association for the Education for Young Children (NAEYC) accredited — has been open since 1969 and permanently relocated to 14 Riverside Road in 1972.

In regards to the July 19 ribbon cutting at the new Senior Center, the first selectman said he was not scheduling an exact time for the secondary ribbon cutting but estimated it would be within 30 to 60 minutes after the Community Center event.

The public is welcome to attend one or both ribbon cutting ceremonies and to tour the facility. A reception will be ongoing in the Community Center’s Multi Purpose Room.

Both ceremonies are happening rain or shine.