Letter: A New Senior Center: If Not at Wildwood School Then Where?
Conceptualization of Wildwood School converted to a community center. Photo: Irene Dujovne
The following letter was sent to the Amherst Town Council on January 13, 2024.
At the January 8 Town Council review of goals, is was discussed that it was possible, and probably necessary, to identify an additional building to be a community center, supplementing the Bangs Community Center. That new building would house an improved Senior Center, a teen center, and other functions and agencies that currently lack a good home.
The obvious location of this possible new location is the to-be-decommissioned Wildwood School. Several people have already made the case why that location is prime for this use: better repurpose that town property for needed town services than to sell it off for private development; that it connects to the campus of the middle school and high school, also making it an easy and safe walk from town; it has parking and fields; it would be easy to add to a bus route; and more.
This would be a good idea to explore and build on, as a town, with public input and opportunity to collaborate and innovate. It could be a chance to avoid our signature divisive “just do it” versus “naysayer” ugliness.
There are not many alternate locations for such a project, and I think when a councilor says “find a location” we all kind of know they mean “at Wildwood School” so saying it loud and clear might start the better process in making a Wildwood Community Center be its best.
Ira Bryck
Ira Bryck has lived in Amherst since 1993, ran the Family Business Center for 25 years, hosted the “Western Mass. Business Show” on WHMP for seven years, now coaches business leaders, and is a big fan of Amherst’s downtown.
I have long advocated the Wildwood building as a location for the senior center as well as the circulating and family centered activities of the Jones Library, leaving the Amity Street location for Special Collections, Programming and classes such as ESL (and of course a smaller building than the trustees insist on giving us. Both the Senior Center and those aspects of the Library would profit from the size of the plant, its single level, the ease and safety of parking, and the compatiblity of the two programs. Whether a Youth Center would be compatible is a question to be explored.
This, of course, would require extensive renovating of both the Amity Street and Strong Street locations so I do not offer it necessarily as a money saving idea – just as a good idea.
A great idea. There may never be as much incentive and rebate money for retrofitting existing buildings as there is now.
I have heard from several Amherst residents who would be “shocked” if there wasn’t already a back room plan to sell Wildwood School for development.
If that is true, how inadequate are the people who lead a town that brags “openness to the max.”
I’d like the Town Council and Planning Board and Planning Department and Town Manager to unequivocally state that there are no plans or decisions or schemes to have sell off Wildwood School to developers, before there is a full public input process to explore the highest and best uses of that irreplaceable town resource.
Possibly a truly robust process would result in adding some residential to a first floor public space, featuring a senior center comparable with Hadley and Northampton. And a teen center that provides for our teens, and our bipoc teens, a place that is safe and supportive.
Leaders of Amherst, give us a collaborative process we can be proud of, and town resources we need and lack.
i have been going to the holyoke senior center for a year, for a stroke support group. it is STUNNING! 2 stories, rooms for various groups and functions taking place concurrently ,
natural light illuminating all the spaces. a breakfast and lunch counter that also has meals to go. on site parking for 50 ++ vehicles. the center is a busy , thriving place serving holyoke and surrounding communities. welcoming paid staff and volunteers.
amherst could learn a few things from holyoke on how to build and run a senior center!!
Thanks, Dan! Holyoke isn’t the only Valley neighbor with a brand new senior Center. Northampton, Hadley and Greenfield also have recently constructed senior centers with expansive and cheery facilities for seniors to gather, cook meals, exercise, take classes, get support for life’s challenges and learn new skills.
…and, South Hadley, Belchertown, Ludlow, Chicopee and Sunderland/South Deerfield.
The long-time neglect and current condition of the Senior Center “space” at the Bangs Center is an embarrassment and demonstrates abject disrespect to our 5000+ older residents.
So much for the city, formerly known as the town of Amherst, with its riches of educational institutions and higher than most property taxes. Perhaps it’s not a lack of businesses downtown, but how the town does business, that is killing us.
In the design, I also see a teen center and English Language Learning Center, and an early childhood center. How great! Any chsnce we could locate the Amherst Food Coop there, too?