HUDSON – Visitors to the Hudson Senior Center will now be able to use a newly restored ramp to get into the building.
“After 10 years of salt and dirt, we had to tear up the whole ramp,” said Director Janice Long. She said the ramp was getting to a point where it was chipping away and becoming unsafe.
“We did not have any accidents, but we didn’t want to wait for one to happen,” said Long.
The project was completed by the town’s Department of Public Works (DPW). The work took about a week from the time the department got the needed materials.
The Senior Center also had to replace the decorative stonework near the ramp. The funding for the project was thanks to an earmark for $150,000 in the 2023 budget secured by Rep. Kate Hogan (D-Stow) for improvements at the Senior Center.
“I’m just so glad to have the check over and see all of the wonderful work that gets done for the Senior Center,” said Hogan.
She thanked the town and voiced her gratitude for the relationship with the town.
“You can imagine to get something done, and then there’s getting something done,” said Hogan.
The Friends of Hudson Seniors funded an awning to go over the ramp, which was recently completed.
“They offered without hesitation,” said Long.
The Senior Center also has additional projects on the near horizon. According to Long, while the deck at the center is structurally sound, there are some decorative areas and columns that are rotting due to poor drainage.
She said the DPW is helping the center with this project, too. The department is working on determining how to properly drain water on the deck. The DPW is working with an architect, who is completing the engineering portion of the project.
“At some point soon, we’re hoping that it will go out to bid,” said Long.
Funds from the earmark will also aid with funding this project.
“We’re so lucky that Kate was able to help us secure an earmark of this size that will help take care of this problem, not only for us, but it’s for the town too because that would be a huge amount of money for the town to find to fix this,” said Long.
For more information on the Friends, visit https://www.townofhudson.org/senior-center/pages/friends-hudsonseniors.
