RWC Veterans Memorial Senior Center, YMCA Project Moving Forward

REDWOOD CITY, CA — The City of Redwood City announced Thursday next steps in the Veterans Memorial Senior Center - YMCA project master planning effort including a series of community design workshops planned for early 2018.

The Veterans Memorial Senior Center facility and YMCA facility at Palm Park are aging and will require future improvements to meet Redwood City's changing needs. The joint project is designed to enhance the community's quality of life through new health, fitness and recreational resources. After community discussions about whether to rebuild or renovate, a decision has been made to rebuild and reimagine these facilities. The revised design proposal will provide better integration of the new facilities within Red Morton Park, preserving valued open green space.

The project would include a brand new modern Veterans Memorial Senior Center (VMSC) with a theater, catering kitchen, multi-purpose rooms, senior club room, non-profit partner offices, gardening space, and technology hub. Programs that seniors are receiving right now, for free or low-cost, will continue at the new VMSC. The project would also include a new Y facility, including a health and wellness center, swimming pools, child care, and a variety of multipurpose spaces for adult, youth and family programs. The campus of buildings and spaces that will be replaced include the Veterans Memorial Building, Herkner Pool, Wellness Center (Old 49er Building), Resource Building (City Administration and Senior Center Gift Shop), and the NFL Alumni Building.

The City and the Y are working with ELS Architecture and Urban Design to lead the master planning process and host a series of community design meetings. The workshops are intended to be open house style and will offer the community an informational setting to share thoughts and concerns about the project.

The series of workshops include:*

• Workshop #1: January 17, 6-8 p.m. -Kick-Off Open House, Gallery Walk, Information Stations
• Workshop #2: January 31, 6-8 p.m. -Design Collaboration Charrette (Site Planning)
• Workshop #3: February 22, 6-8 p.m. -Design Collaboration Charrette (Project Design)

*All meetings will be held in the Redwood Room of the Veterans Memorial Senior Center

In addition, following the community engagement workshops, the City is tentatively planning other public review opportunities:

• Potential review of a proposed conceptual design at the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission in early Spring
• A City Council meeting in March 2018 to review a proposed conceptual design
• A City Council meeting in May 2018 to review and consider a proposed schematic design

The City is also planning to release an online survey in early 2018 for additional project input. A direct project email address is set-up to receive direct feedback from the public and an email sign-up is available on the City's website to receive ongoing project updates. The Veterans Memorial Senior Center-YMCA project email address is city-ymcafeedback@redwoodcity.org.

If the Veterans Memorial Senior Center project proceeds, the Y building and land on Hudson would be available for the City to begin a new land-use public planning process.

To learn more and view a new project video, go here: www.redwoodcity.org/CityYMCAProject.

— SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY: City of Redwood City / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone