Less than a year after ground was broken, Hermiston’s new senior center is taking shape, but is still several months away from opening.
Members of the Hermiston City Council took a tour of the Harkenrider Center last week and received updates on the progress.
Hermiston City Manager Byron Smith said the new center, named after Frank Harkenrider, longtime Hermiston mayor and councilor, won’t open until late summer when the parking lot is built.
Willard Fordice told the council that he and other seniors have been working to secure grants to help furnish the new center and that they’ve received everything they need “so far.”
The Harkenrider Center is about 7,000 square feet with a large unfinished basement that will be developed in the future as additional money is raised.
The large kitchen will be large enough to serve any number of big events at the center, said Brandon Artz, the city’s recreation director.
The center is being funded, in part, by a $2 million Community Development Block Grant that stipulates the center must be used exclusively as a senior center for the first five years. After the first five years, it will remain dedicated to seniors up until 3 p.m., after which it can be used for community events.
I would like to see more diverse programs for seniors. After being a participant at several programs provided by both Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach I see the benefit and opportunity to expand programs for seniors.
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