Tolles-Parson Senior Center Funds Approved at Town Meeting

Plans for a community center in Wellesley move one step forward after Town Meeting.

A ballot vote taken at last night's Town Meeting approved article 18, which would appropriate over $165,000 for design and construction documents for the proposed Tolles-Parson Senior center. The vote was 78 percent in favor of the appropiation, and came after a full night of discussion.

Plans for the center currently place it adjacent to the current site of the American Legion facility and joined by a small bridge and cafe structure. The proposed 15,000 square foot facility would house not only senior center activies, but also Council on Aging offices and staff.

Selectmen Chair Terri Tsagaris explained that its current site, at the Wellesley Community Center does not have adequate space for the programs, and is not as accessible as other faicilities in town. The new senior center would be.

Additionally, some Senior Center activities would take place off-site, under a "collaborative model" which other towns are employing at their senior centers. Some lectures and courses, for example, would still be at the Wellesley Free Library. 

TMM discussions focused on a number of questions, such as parking, location, and whether the senior center was necessary. Officials estimate construction costs, which were not part of article 18, could be about $7 to $8 million.

Tom Ulfielder, precinct C town meeting member opposed the plan, saying, "If we vote no on this article, what it says is that we care deeply about our seniors, and believe it is a fatally flawed project."

Town Meeting Member Suzanne Littlefield, of precinct A, pointed out that, during her time on the School Committee, there were a number of issues that came before the School Committee, Planning Board and Selectmen--often with parking and traffic concerns. Time after time, she said, the committees would solve these issues collaboratively. 

Said Littlefield, "Let’s not let parking and traffic derail this project. I urge your favorable action."

The current proposed solution is to open up parking across Washington Street for the site, and possibly install a pedestrian-controlled crossing light. At least one Town Meeting Member commented that fellow seniors would be capable of crossing a street.

Noted Selectman Tsagaris, "No site can accomodate parking for every situation or every conceivable eventuality."

For some Town Meeting Members, the Senior Center would provide not only for seniors in their lives, or in their precincts, but for themselves down the road. 

"We are not so special in Wellesley as to not need the senior center. We are not so special as to avoid the aging process," observed Town Meeting Member David Himmelberger, Precinct H. 

Precinct C TMM Roy Switzler disagreed, saying, "I don’t see, in the master plan, where there is a need as a public building for a senior center. It has become the mode in recent years."

Other opponents pointed to the Natick Senior Center, which many in the community could travel to and make use of their facilities and programs. 

The decision was made on the second night of discussion, and the article was the only piece of town business discussed on night four of town meeting. Ultimately, the vote was decided with 78 percent of town meeting members in favor. Three people abstained from voting. 

Article 19 will be pictued up at the next session of Town Meeting, on April 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wellesley High School's Katherine Babson auditorium. If another night of Town Meeting is needed, it will take place on April 23.

[Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the Wellesley Community Center as the American Legion site. This has been corrected. April 12]