Editorial
Senior spaces

A positive thing that has come out of the ongoing discussion about where to relocate Ashburnham municipal employees during the Town Hall renovation is that the question of "Where should the senior citizens be?" has been raised.

Ashburnham, like all four of the towns in the Journal's coverage area, lacks a good senior center facility.

In Ashburnham, seniors gather in the old gym of the Veterans Memorial School, which with its high ceilings, limited kitchen and poor lighting does not create a warm environment. The Council on Aging board and director MaryLee Muessel have succeeded making the place inviting through their activities and personalities.

Westminster's senior center is located in a small area of the American Legion building. While Townsend's senior center sits in a small overcrowded store front in the shopping plaza near the center of town.

It is hard to focus on senior centers when school departments, police and fire departments and other municipal services are also in dire need of new buildings. But there is a growing senior population as the demographics of the four towns change and baby boomers continue to age.

The centers are going to have to add more services in both numbers and variety because of those changing demographics.

There is nothing wrong with the Bingo games or the meals that the senior centers offer. The centers are geared toward residents who are home during the day and want to get out and socialize at that time. A worthy effort.

But baby boomers, who are now reaching out for new services and experience, may want a few night activities at the centers. These services and events are hard to provide when it costs thousands to heat the building and when the rooms have to be shared.

The men and women who supported the towns for many years deserve to be supported and to have a quality place to spend their time.

It is expensive to start a building project or to buy a piece of property. Town budgets are already tight and the seniors are some of the people struggling the most to make ends meet.

So maybe it is time to get creative.

Ashburnham and Westminster share a school system. Can they share a senior center? And the same goes for Townsend and Ashby.

Perhaps the towns should pool resources.

Ashburnham Town Administrator Kevin Paicos is going to support the request for a feasibility study for a new senior center at the May annual town meeting. This should be a priority for all the area towns.