Plans to build a new Arcadia Senior Center are moving forward, with studies of the center's possible role, funding for the center and scouting for a site under way.
Construction of the Arcadia Gateway Center on the south side of Huntington Drive in east Arcadia should begin November 9. The new center will have a Cigna Health Plan Building, 2 office buildings, 2 restaurants, and a retail building with shops.
Arcadia's new senior center will be built at the Rose Garden at the corners of Huntington and Campus Drives. The city will start taking bids for the proposed $2.5 million, 18,000-square foot building in April. (At least 21% of the city population is over age 60.)
The Arcadia Gateway Center, considered the first major element in the city's redevelopment project, has opened. The $22 million facility is located on Huntington Drive.
A newly released study by H. Wendell Mounce & Associates reports that Arcadia could use a new police station, a new city hall, a recreation center and a theater. Total cost of the project if the city hall is replaced would be $20 million.
Arcadia could build a multi-purpose Senior Citizen Center for $1.5 million plus the cost of the property, according to a report submitted to the City Council by Warren Shaw, chairman of the Arcadia Senior Citizen's Commission. The report indicated that most of the money would come from state and federal sources, but that Arcadia would need to chip in at least $225,000 of matching funds. The center is necessary, Shaw said, due to a current lack of senior citizen facilities.
Senior citizens center still faces many, many obstacles. Since the formation of the Arcadia Senior Citizens' Commission in 1978 one of its goals has been to acquire or construct a senior citizens/community center.
The list of groups allowed to use the community center was expanded recently, but the revised policy still limits events to those with community wide appeal.
Though there will be no federal funds available, it is still possible for Arcadia, Monrovia, El Monte and Sierra Madre to build a joint fire station and communications center.
A building contract for a senior citizens center has been awarded to Nationwide Construction of Downey. Groundbreaking is anticipated in three months. The center will be built on the triangular piece of land at the intersection of Holly Avenue and Campus and Huntington Drives across from the Chamber of Commerce.
About 400 people joined City officials in the spacious main room of the new Arcadia Community Center on Friday to dedicate the $4.5 million structure that will house the City's Senior Citizens Services and Recreation Department.
Rose Hassing, 27, currently the director of volunteer services for the Pasadena American Red Cross, will become the new senior citizens supervisor for the City of Arcadia as of February 7. She is replacing Betty Harris, who retired in December after 20 years with the city's senior citizens services.
The committee assigned to make a feasibility study reports the possibility of Arcadia building an auditorium looks bleak and is getting bleaker. Efforts will continue to get major donations started via a grass roots drive and put these aside for a future project.
The Methodist Hospital has inaugurated a three months seminary internship under Chaplain Paul Johenk. The purpose is to teach methods of hospital calling and pastoral counseling with patients and families going through a medical crisis.
The prospect of an auditorium for Arcadia brightened some-what with the Federal government's decision to pump $2.9 billion for an individual project such as an auditorium. California is entitled to $285 million and Arcadia may seek up to $4.9 million for an individual project such as an auditorium. Council members, normally opposed to such funds, seemed very excited over the prospects.