Senior Center To Reopen As Arlington Community Center

ARLINGTON, MA — Renovations are nearing their completion at Arlington's Central School building at Academy and Maple Streets.

Work began in March 2020, and after two years of phased work, the building will reopen to the public as the Arlington Community Center next month.

The $8 million project achieved four goals:

• Developing a modern, expanded space on the ground and first floors dedicated to the Council on Aging, Arlington Senior Association, and community events and activities
• Improving major building systems, including HVAC, electrical, bathrooms, and the building exterior
• Relocating the Health and Human Services Department, including Veterans' Services, to the 2nd floor; and
• Modernizing the building for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act

Older adults can enjoy comfortable social spaces in the Community Center, including a bright and sunny art room, a drop-in room for casual socialization, workspaces with internet access, a café, a library with a fireplace, a yoga room, a games room, a lounge outfitted with two tournament-sized pool tables and a new commercial kitchen for cooking classes and nutrition seminars.

Minuteman Senior Services will use the kitchen daily for Meals on Wheels and congregate dining. The Council on Aging offices will be reconfigured to allow older residents to access social services in a single, central location.

"When the plans for the Community Center were first being created, we had no idea that a worldwide pandemic would severely impact all our lives," said Kristine Shah, director of the Council on Aging. "The timing for the re-opening could not be more crucial, as so many older adults have struggled with social isolation during the past two years. To ensure the safety of our seniors, and thanks to technology upgrades, our programs will be available in a hybrid format, allowing those who are comfortable to attend events/activities in person and others to participate virtually."

The Council on Aging and Arlington Seniors Association thanked community members for raising more than $170,000 for the center's new furnishings. In addition, the café, library, art room, pool room and yoga room were sponsored by local families and businesses.

"The Arlington Community Center is a wonderful asset to the town that can be enjoyed in many ways," Jennifer Raitt, Arlington's director of Planning and Community Development, said in a statement. "We look forward to when we can welcome the public to these spaces in the near future."

Several renovated and upgraded rooms will be available to rent for meetings and events. Spaces that can be rented include the main hall – which received acoustic and technology improvements and can be divided into two rooms – meeting rooms, and the art room. The commercial kitchen will also be available to rent for events, by caterers, and entrepreneurs looking to start and grow successful food businesses.

Rooms are offered by the Department of Planning and Community Development.