BOS Approves New Senior Home

“This is the new home for the senior community,” said architect Sandra Vlock as she displayed sketches of how the Community House can be transformed into a blended center for recreation programs and senior citizens. 

The top photo shows the current Church Street entrance, and the conceptual sketch of the new entrance that eliminates the steps and adds a driveway and covered drop-off. Walkways will connect to the proposed patio, gardens and bocce court. The sidewalk will continue around to a new ground-floor entrance and the parking lot along Prospect Street. 

The two-story Community House, which currently houses the Parks and Recreation Department and programs, will undergo interior renovations and an elevator will be added. An addition will be built to the left of the Church Street entrance where the Senior Center Department and most of the senior programs will be located. Some areas on each floor will be blended for use by both departments.

“It’s a totally different experience,” said Vlock (pictured), who made a presentation at Wednesday’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting, which was held at Fire Headquarters. ​“It’s a very important thing to stress — the potential of this building to satisfy all the things people said they wanted.”

And it seemed to satisfy the three selectmen who voted unanimously in favor of the project. 

“The conceptual plans really show that this is the best model — the shared use model,” said First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove. ​“It’s something that not only meets the needs of the senior community, but also addresses a lots of the wants that we’ve heard as we went through this process.”

His next step will be discussing the project with the Board of Finance, and sending it to the newly formed Public Building Commission. ​“That’s where the details of the project will really take shape,” Cosgrove said.

“I’m impressed by the conceptual design,” said Third Selectman Bruce Storm. He and Cosgrove are pictured here. 

Second Selectman Joe Higgins voted in favor but did not offer any comments.

The estimated cost and time frame of the project were not discussed. Efforts to replace the senior center have been discussed for many years but none of the proposals was unsuccessful.

‘Accessible And Welcoming’

The above sketch shows how the new lobby on the upper floor would look compared to the photo of the current lobby. The new lobby would feature a café and an office where senior center staff can welcome people.

Vlock said the goal is to make the entry accessible and welcoming. ​“In this illustration we are saying it can really be an improvement to the overall site. It becomes a place to sit and linger and lounge — it’s a destination.”

The above sketch shows the layout of the Church Street floor. The pink areas are for senior programs and the blue areas are shared space. Vlock said the Community Center will offer much more space than the Canoe Brook center.

“The senior population is growing,” Vlock said. In the written report, Vlock states that the senior population is increasing at a rate of 43 percent over the next 10 years.

Vlock said they will work closely with the Senior Center Department staff to determine their needs as the rooms are designed. The department at Canoe Brook Senior Center also includes offices for various social services.

The former Canoe Brook School, which was built in 1898, has served as the senior center since 1975. It can only be accessed by steep steps or a dilapidated four-level ramp, and does not meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. It is also not large enough to accommodate the number of activities and exercise programs.

The above photo is a sketch of the new entrance to the ground floor, leading to a renovated lobby area. ​“It’s much more hospitable,” Vlock said.

The renovations will enable the building, and the restrooms, to come into compliance with the ADA requirements. Major renovations require ADA compliance.

The above sketch shows a layout of the ground floor, where the gymnasium is located. The white areas are designated for Parks and Recreation, and the blue areas are shared-use spaces.

‘A Big Bonus’

The Community House sits on a wide open space where the town’s athletic fields are located. It is located across the street from the John B. Sliney Elementary School. 

“This is really important to talk about with this site. This is a big bonus here,” Lock said as she talked about the open spaces. ​“Ten acres right smack in the middle of town. The benefit of the Hammer Field site is the central location, convenient and walkable from the Town Green. Seniors in the community will enjoy safe access to walking trails, ball fields, playgrounds, bocce courts, community gardens. It’s really all here,” she said. 

The site is very near the proposed Atlantic Wharf project, which includes apartments and restaurants, and a connection to the Shoreline Greenway Trail.

Vlock said the Community House was chosen as the best site for a blended senior center after months of research, site visits to various locations, forums and comments from residents.

The architectural firm of Arbonies King Vlock has been working with town officials, department heads and seniors to determine the best way to replace the outdated and inaccessible Canoe Brook Senior Center. Click here to read about the November forums. 

“We need to make the highest and best use of the assets we have in this town,” Vlock said, as was recommended by the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development. She said they also listened to the Voices for Branford Seniors, who have been lobbying for a new center.

“We call this the Branford model, because it’s really about us. It’s not a one-size fits all solution,” Vlock said as she explained the inter-generational hub concept. ​“A hub site is a facility that can be shared with other populations, meaning not just for the senior population but for everyone.”

Vlock said if the public transportation system could be expanded, there could be connections from the Community House to other town assets like the Blackstone Memorial Library and the Soundview YMCA.

Parking and Flooding Issues

Cosgrove talked briefly about parking and said a parking assessment will be done during the next phase of the planning process. Many Sliney teachers park in the Community House lot.

Third Selectman Storm expressed concerns about flooding that occurs on Hammer Field and lower Meadow Street during heavy storms.

“That drainage issue needs to be addressed,” Cosgrove said.

The only comment from the public was a concern that the skate park will be eliminated to make room for more parking. Cosgrove said that is something that will be looked at.

Moving Forward

“I’m delighted that we’re moving forward,” Anita Visentin Perito told the Eagle after the meeting.

Perito, who chairs the Commission on Elderly Services, was one of about 30 people who attended the BOS meeting. She told Cosgrove last month that the commission is eager to do whatever it can to facilitate a new senior center. The commission has scheduled additional meetings this year in anticipation of the project, and the meetings are now being televised for people who are unable to attend.

Lori Fogler Nicholson, a member of the Commission on Elderly Services, told the Eagle after the meeting that the inter-generational aspect of the blended center is exciting.

“I love it,” Nicholson said, adding that the kitchen and gardens will enhance the center. ​“A new day is coming.”

Helen Kelsey, one of the founders of Voices for Branford Seniors, was unable to attend the BOS meeting, but she viewed plans for the project earlier this week. ​“I’m so excited about it” Kelsey told the Eagle.

Kelsey, who is nearing her 90th birthday, has been lobbying with the Voices group for a more accessible center. ​“It was just our determination to get something done,” she said.

(The meeting and power point presentation was televised by BCTV). 

###