By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County’s oldest citizens will soon have a new place to play euchre, eat lunch and work on everything from poetry to pilates.
The next step in building a new center for Wood County’s seniors was made Monday evening, when Bowling Green City Council voted to approve a zoning change to “institutional” for the new facility at 140 S. Grove St.
The next step now rests with Wood County Building Inspection, where the building plans have been submitted for approval.
If building bids go as planned, ground will be broken for the new senior center on Sept. 20, according to Denise Niese, executive director of the Wood County Committee on Aging.
“I just want to thank everyone for the support, the questions, the clarifications,” Niese said to City Council Monday evening. The architects and engineers working on the project were impressed with the city planning office’s coordination of the project, she added.
Members of city council praised the plans for the new facility.
“I’m very proud of this facility, and I’m excited to have it move forward,” council member Sandy Rowland said.
The new building will be more than twice the size of the current senior center, with more space for programs, an adult day care area, and a community storm shelter.
The new 35,000-square-foot senior center will be located at the site of the former school administration building between South Grove and Buttonwood streets, south of West Wooster Street.
The new facility will replace the 14,500-square-foot center currently housed in the 105-year-old building on North Main Street that formerly held the post office.
The new senior center will have about 82 parking spaces, will have one-story and two-story sections, and will be designed to fit in with the early-century residential area in which it will sit.
The first floor of the senior center will have two main entrances covered for weather protection. There will be a dining and multi-purpose room, five activity rooms of varying size, public restrooms, skylights to let in natural light, and an elevator.
The first floor will also have a lounge area that may double as a library, with a gas fireplace, and coffee.
Also on the first floor will be an adult day care space, with its own entry. The Alzheimer’s Resource Center in Toledo has offered to provide the day care services.
Currently, local residents needing adult day care services have to travel to Toledo or Findlay, Niese said.
There will be outdoor patios off the multi-purpose room and off the adult day care.
The second floor will have room for administration offices, social services, activity rooms and office space for the BGSU Optimum Aging Institute, which will be teaming up with the senior center at the site.
The basement will have a storm shelter with direct access for the community. The storm shelter could hold an estimated 360 people.
In 2018, the Wood County Committee on Aging provided the following services:
- Delivered more than 141,194 meals to 989 homebound people.
- Served 61,922 meals to 2,427 people at the seven senior center locations.
- Provided transportation for more than 200 people (2,761 transports) for medical appointments, grocery shopping, and to area senior centers.
- Responded to more than 2,500 information/referral calls.
- Provided educational enrichment programs including computer/technology, art and photography classes to 2,656 people.
- 407 community volunteers provided 19,647 hours of service.
- Completed 1,047 health screenings and 870 nursing consultations.
- Offered recreational and wellness programs.
With baby boomers hitting senior stages in their lives, the demands on senior services will continue to grow, Niese said.
“Over the next 20 years, we’re going to be seeing higher demands,” she said. In 2010, Wood County had 21,433 citizens over age 60. That number is now estimated at 27,000.
