New Senior Center Coming Near Snellville

SNELLVILLE, GA -- Construction on a new senior center near Snellville will begin soon.

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $2.2 million contract for the center, which will be next to the Centerville Community Center and Centerville Branch Library on Bethany Church Road, near Snellville.

The project was awarded to Hogan Construction Group and will be funded by Gwinnett's 2014 special-purpose, local-option sales tax.

"This is the first time funding from the voter-approved SPLOST has been allocated specifically for capital projects that benefit our senior population," board Chairwoman Charlotte Nash said in a news release. "I can’t wait to get this new senior center up and running to serve senior residents in southern Gwinnett County."

The 8,500-square foot facility will include a dining room, warming kitchen with serving line, multi-purpose room, billiards area, staff offices and support space.

It will serve as a nutrition site, the county announced, offering healthy meals to seniors.

Programming will promote healthy lifestyles and include activities that promote socialization and health and wellness.

Card games, billiards, interactive Wii Fit games and tai chi are some of the activities planned at the center, along with fall-prevention classes and chronic-disease self management classes, including one taught in Spanish.

The Gwinnett County Health and Human Services Division operates similar senior centers in Buford, Lawrenceville and Norcross, with a satellite center operating at the Centerville Community Center since 2013. Parks and Recreation also runs senior centers at Bethesda Park and George Pierce Park.