Everyone Talking At Once?—

Bringing Everyone Together For Community Center Discussions

By Kendra Bobowick

Seniors, the Parks and Recreation Department, and the firm preparing the early designs for a combined-use community center, are seeking to solidify their fragmented conversation.

With O&G Industries Inc Project Manager David Cravanzola already at the table to work on conceptual plans — at no cost so far for the recreation department — Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Edward Marks expressed an urgency for the seniors to also take their seat in design discussions. With O&G literally holding a pencil above paper, Mr Marks said, “Sooner rather than later is the best way to go for design.

“Unless they’re involved from the start, there is a greater chance they won’t be satisfied with what we have come up with,” he warned.

Since the town’s departments had submitted their capital improvements requests last year, the first selectman had asked that the seniors and recreation members consider sharing a new facility, which both had prioritized individually. While talks of the general possibilities have been sporadic — Mr Aurelia has attended several recreation meetings — plans for the building itself have begun. Mr Marks wants the seniors with him during the conceptual design phase.

“We’ll communicate comments to O&G, but it is better coming firsthand from [the seniors] who will be using it,” Mr Marks said.

Currently Mr Cravanzola’s firm is working on conceptual designs, and planners are considering how the recreation facility will work in relation to the Newtown Youth Academy (NYA). The town recently approved the NYA, a privately owned indoor sports facility that will open doors for Parks and Rec use. Again, Mr Marks turns his attention to the seniors.

“Our thought is to involve someone from the Commission on Aging,” he said.

During a recent Parks and Recreation Commission meeting Mr Marks had said: “It is important they know we expect them to be part of the process.” In agreement, recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian had said: “We need to talk to the seniors.”

Although the community center is a concept that will likely be completed in phases, Mr Marks wants the full design in hand.

“Our plan is to have it all laid out — all the things we’d like to see eventually in a comprehensive design and work toward it in stages,” he said. He envisions staged construction — a pool, classroom space, shared space, a pool enclosure.

Once again turning attention to the senior community, Mr Marks said, “Our goal is for someone from the seniors to be there at the first meeting we have.” This meeting may fall before the October 15 Commission on Aging monthly meeting.

When the idea of a combined-use facility first emerged, Senior Center Director Marilyn Place had been among those to indicate that seniors would prefer their own space. Mr Marks has offered his reassurances that the design will include portions of the building created for seniors only. Their programming would not be cut short; their dedicated space would not be compromised.

“Their space is going to be their space. We’re not going to take it over,” Ms Kasbarian had said previously. “They want their own entrance; that can all be worked out with the architects.”

Already in capital improvement requests and awaiting allocation is $600,000 to cover design work. Also in the capital plan is a $6 million estimate for work to be done, which Mr Marks said he does not expect to cover everything. The design consultations have cost nothing, so far.

A General Conversation

Will the seniors have their own entrance? Will they have space set aside for their use only? How will the different organizations share the space for offices, programming, or classes? How will the common areas be used?

Both the seniors and the recreation officials have been waiting to work out the details during a general conversation for some time. Although Mr Aurelia has been to recreation meetings on behalf of the Commission on Aging, he is waiting on a visit from the recreation members.

“We are waiting for them to come to one of our meetings,” he said. “We would like to discuss this at our place too…” The commission’s next meeting is the third Monday of next month, October 15 at 5 pm at the Senior Center, and Mr Marks believes a representative will attend.

Seniors had at first declined the suggestion of sharing the same facility with the recreation department. Mr Aurelia expressed that if certain conditions were incorporated into plans, the commission would most likely consider the possibilities of a combined-use building.

Work In Progress

A large, one-room addition is in progress at the Senior Center, now located in the town’s multipurpose building at 14 Riverside Road. Currently, seniors are more concerned with completing the addition, Mr Aurelia said. The $370,000 contract has been awarded to Baybutt Construction Managers to do work on the large, one-room addition with handicap accessible rest rooms, a three-season sun porch, and upstairs storage space. Center Director Marilyn Place said she hopes “they’ll just get it done.”

Speaking for many, she said, “We can’t wait. A little space will make a huge difference, plus the storage space…” The only thing blocking the start of construction are utility lines that must be moved by the power companies before crews can break ground. “We’re waiting for the utilities to move, that’s the holdup,” Ms Place said.