At this year’s Annual Town Meeting, voters enthusiastically approved funds to allow the Town to purchase a portion of the Masonic Lodge located near Town Hall. Once the sale is completed, a new condominium association comprised of the Town and the Masons will be established for the on-going care and maintenance of the building. The Mason’s will own about a third of the building with the Town owning about two thirds. The arrangement provides a solid win for both the Town and the Mason’s.
An early fall closing date is anticipated. Once the new ownership arrangement is created, the Town can begin using some of the existing space for senior programming until the construction work begins. Details of the purchase and sales agreement and the new condominium documents will be finalized over the next month or so.
Plans call for renovating the existing building and constructing two additions – one to make the existing dining/multi-purpose room larger to create a new ceremonial room for the Masons and another addition to add office space and activity rooms for the new Senior Center. The existing ceremonial room along with the kitchen and restrooms will be renovated and become part of the new Senior Center
While funding was approved for the purchase of the Town’s share, additional funding will be needed to pay for the renovation and expansion of the building. A fundraising campaign will get underway this fall with the assistance of a capable campaign manager to raise the $2.5 million needed. All tax-deductible donations, large and small, will be thankfully accepted. Members of the Friends of the Council on Aging will play an instrumental role in the capital campaign. Grant funds will also be pursued although there is never a guarantee of success here. The goal will be to complete the fundraising efforts by this time next year.
While the fundraising efforts are underway, the design for the renovated spaces and additions will be completed and put out to bid to area contractors. The plan is to be under construction as soon as the fundraising campaign wraps up. Assuming construction takes about 18 months to complete, it is possible the new facility could be ready by January of 2027.
Once completed the new Senior Center will provide flexible meeting spaces and activity rooms along with a full commercial kitchen and dining space. A wide array of programming for older citizens will be provided with an ability to greatly expand the current offerings. The Center will serve as a drop-in center as well. A reading room and general congregation areas will allow for more informal meetups.
As most of the activities for older residents will take place during the day, the various spaces can be used for public meetings during the evening and special events during the weekends. Priority will be given to senior center activities with all scheduling handled by the Council on Aging staff.
While a good amount of work lies ahead, the path to a Manchester Senior Center is clearly defined and finally within reach. As was noted at the spring Town Meeting, this is a goal that has been on the “to do” list for a long time. Older residents comprise the largest, and fastest growing segment of the Town’s population. Having a Senior Center dedicated to their needs will enhance the quality of their lives by providing an array of services and programming in a modern facility. It is not too early to be thinking how you would like to contribute to the success of this new Town amenity.
