LETTER: Excitement For New Senior Center Is Building

Dear Editor,

Have you driven on Route 38N, beside St. Dorothy’s Church and wondered about the large construction site on the right? It is the site of the new Wilmington Senior Center (130 Main Street)!

It has been quite a while since Audrey Reed stood before the Wilmington Select Board and asked to have the Select Board (SB) address the need for a new Center. And it has been 4 years since John Wallace and Mark Ryan presented a PowerPoint presentation on the “state” of the Buzzell Center to the SB. Among the topics that were addressed included lack of space, parking, need for ADA compliance, just to name a few.

The SB brought this to Town Meeting in May, 2020 to approve a Feasibility Study for construction. After careful study, and preliminary plans for a new facility that included functional and programming needs were previewed. And after thorough vetting by the Permanent Building Committee of those plans and cost, the Town Meeting on November 19, 2022, approved the plans and the allotment of funds.

And so, trees have been cleared, rocks dug up (some of which were the size of an SUV) and removed, the lot leveled and footings/foundations have been poured. The color scheme for the exterior of the building has been chosen. Utilities are being placed and the interior setup and furnishings are being discussed. Shortly, the framing will begin.

Exciting? You bet!

We look forward to an Arts & Craft Room, a Reading Room, a ceramics and wood crafting room, an exercise room (tailored for Seniors), a suitably sized parking lot, a sunny café area, more space to allow for more programming, and a large area for multi-functions.

And we are forever grateful for the generosity of The Wilmington Townspeople for their support.

Stay tuned for our countdown graphics for the opening to be placed outside the current Senior Center, this spring!

NOW, It’s Our Time!

Respectfully Submitted,
Ken and Susanne Clarkin