The new Senior Citizen Center, now in the architectural drawing stage of development will replace the Rose Garden at the corner of Huntington and Campus Drives. The center will house the administration offices of the Arcadia Parks and Recreation Department and the Historical Museum.
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.
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.
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.
Arcadia Senior Services is partnering with Arcadia Chinese Association to celebrate Chinese New Year on Friday, February 3, at the Arcadia Community Center, 365 Campus Drive. It's an event for age 50 and over and the cost is $10 per person.
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.
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.
Construction of a new senior center in Arcadia will be funded in part through more than $200.000 allocated from federal Community Development Block Grant funds for the 1988-89 fiscal year, not through an exchange of money with another city that would have cost Arcadia about $75,000.
The Board of Directors for the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce approved a plan proposed by the Senior Citizens Commission to establish a fund for the eventual construction of a senior citizens center.
The city has decided against trying to lease a vacated elementary school for a senior citizen center. Seniors are interested in having a drop-in center but the additional cost of leasing a school would not be justified.
An ad hoc committee of seniors plans to collect 5,000 signatures by the end of February asking the Arcadia City Council to commit itself to acquiring a senior center.
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.
Overview of the programs offered to senior citizens at the Community Center and information on Rose O'Sullivan who supervises the activities. Rosie will leave the center after 8 1/2 years to move to Templeton.
More than 400 rosebushes from the Arcadia Rose Garden were moved to the Arcadia High School campus. The city is planning to build a senior citizen center on the rose garden's former site.
Dale Allen, 72, has been named Arcadia Senior Citizen of the Year for 1990. He has helped to fight for and plan the $4.4 million senior center that will be completed next spring.