Senior Center design moves forward
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Northborough - The process to bring a new Senior Center to town continues to move forward.

"We've hired a project manager and the RFP [request for proposals] for the architectural design has gone out," Senior Center Director Kelly Burke said. "Once the deadline passes for the [proposals] to be submitted, the Building Committee will review them and decide on the architects they wish to interview."

Burke said the architectural design the Senior Center and the Council on Aging presented at Town Meeting in April was the architectural plan, with some refinements, used with the feasibility study, to show residents the need for a new center.

"The final design, which is what the RFP is for," Burke said, "is a much more elaborate, more complete drawing and design. Based on that final design, we'll be able to send out the bid specifications, get them back and open them in time to know, when we go to Town Meeting in April of 2008, exactly what our construction costs will be and just how much money we'll be asking the town to approve for the project."

At the April Town Meeting Jeff Leland, chair of the Senior Center Building Committee, said building new Senior Center will cost about $6.5 million.

The Center, if approved, will be located at 119 Colburn St., on the site of the old Fish and Game Club.

Although it took two years just to get voters to approve the $495,000 for the architectural design, Burke said she believes people have come to understand the dire need the town has for a new Senior Center.

"It's certainly not a question among the seniors - they know how badly we need a new Senior Center," Burke said. "It's more of a sell to the people who don't see its value on an every-day basis through the use it gets from family and friends. But I think through the aggressive information campaign we've been running for the last year, people are starting to understand."