There’s still no clear answer on when or where a new senior center will be built, or what the facility would look like. Officials with the Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County and the City of Owensboro met Wednesday afternoon to keep discussions going regarding the project.
Becky Barnhart, the center’s executive director, said the meeting with City Manager Nate Pagan ensures all parties are on the same page before starting the process of selecting a new site.
“There’s nothing definitive at this point,” Barnhart said.
Barnhart said that a facility committee comprising members from their board will continue to meet to discuss seniors’ wants and other preliminary thoughts as they begin to look at potential new locations.
Relocating has been a goal for the organization for some years now. Barnhart noted that the membership has grown since the pandemic — a trend she considers a priority for her going forward — but said the current facility isn’t suitable to sustain that growth.
“We’re the end of the baby boomers and looking to the next generation. So, what do we need to plan for? The next Senior Center will be permanent; we’ve been here for 41 years. So this next location, we’re looking at being sustainable long-term,” Barnhart said.
For a short period, senior center officials were working toward collaborating with the Owensboro YMCA; that proposal called for the YMCA to be renovated and expanded so that it would also house the senior center in its Kentucky Parkway building. In July, the senior center board voted 6-4 to cease all further plans in the collaboration after more than a year of discussions regarding the joint venture.
As part of the original collaboration plan, the City of Owensboro planned to allocate $3 million toward the project. Pagan said it is too early to confirm, but the City may still be able to provide the same funding if the senior center can determine a path forward.
“I suspect it’ll still be there for a project for them. That’s not official, but that is a likely scenario,” Pagan said.
Pagan said the City is not a driving force in the Senior Center deciding where they move next.
As the process continues, Barnhart said they will provide surveys and gather opinions from the public and senior center members to ensure they find the right location.
“When we get to the point where we have something to present, we’ll take feedback,” she said. “I get feedback all the time and I appreciate it because this is who we’re serving.”
