Refurbished Senior Center Opens to Praise

If you refurbish it, they will come.

That's what town officials are hoping is true of the renovated Wilton Senior Center at Comstock Community Center. The facility was celebrated Tuesday evening during an opening ceremony attended by Wilton officials and an overflow crowd of town residents from varying Wilton generations.

"This is a moment that a lot of people have been waiting for," First Selectman Bill Brennan said. "It's something that I've always wanted since I was first elected- better facilities for our seniors."

In his remarks as host of the Open House, Brennan acknowledged the participation and help of many individuals—both donors from the private sector, like Peg and Rick Koellmer and the Maidman family, as well as assistance from town officials, including Parks and Recreation Director Steve Pearce and Schools Superintendent Dr. Gary Richards.

"To make this a reality, we came to the conclusion that we have to use every facility and resource that we have in this town as effectively as possible," Brennan said.

Rob Maidman, son of longtime Wilton residents Dr. Lenoard and Anne Maidman, represented his family at the event. The Maidmans' grown children were major donors in the center's refurbishment campaign. Maidman talked about how his parents would have been proud to know that their legacy would leave such a lasting imprint.

"They would have loved this to be a multi-generational place," he said. "That's what makes Wilton the town it has always been."

Attendees seemed pleased with the results.

"We see a big difference. It's long overdue," said Maureen Turnier, who noted that she and her friends play a good deal of bridge at the center. "People will be much more willing to come here."

Several seniors sang the praises of center director Elizabeth Doty, who has made many programming improvements, adding things like line dancing and bingo to the center's lineup.

"The gal who runs it, Liz Doty, is just about the greatest, finest, most clever administrative and social person there is," Nanette Rich said. "There is nobody better than her."

Nanette's husband John Rich, who said he's pushed hard over the years to get improvements made at Comstock, was pleased with what he saw Tuesday night.

"Now we're more in line with the senior centers in towns around us, like New Canaan and Westport," he said.