Construction Starts On Montclair Senior Center, Feedback Needed

MONTCLAIR, NJ — There’s some good news this holiday season for older adults in Montclair: construction has begun on the town’s long-awaited senior center.

On Monday, the public/private partnership between the township, the Placek Family Foundation and The Montclair Modern Aging Collective (The Collective) announced that the ball is rolling along for the Lifelong Montclair Center for Modern Aging at 60 South Fullerton Avenue.

According to the coalition, construction is underway, the space has been cleared and architectural plans have been drafted. Some features will include:

• an open reception area
• a multi-purpose open space for gatherings and classes
• office space for the township’s Senior Services team and collective membership organizations
• an up-to-date computer lab for peer-to-peer tech training

Representatives from the township, Aging in Montclair, Montclair Gateway to Aging in Place, and MNDC/Do Drop In have been working together for the past 10 months to outline plans for the center, tackling issues like governance, community focus groups, fundraising and facility needs.

The effort also includes a new centralized “Modern Ager Calendar of Events” that will inform residents about local programs and services.

“We are proud of the many existing engaging programs and events for seniors and we’re developing a new consolidated calendar to make it easier for seniors to register all in one place,” said Judy Hurley, Township Director of Division of Senior Services Lifelong Montclair.

• See Related: Plans For Montclair Senior Center Are Coming Together, Group Says
• See Related: Montclair Council Votes On Long-Awaited Senior Center

FOCUS GROUPS

The collective will be hosting two focus groups in December to get feedback from Montclair residents who are 55 years and older.

The focus groups will meet on Dec. 5 at 12:30 p.m. and Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. Both events will take place at the Montclair Municipal Building (second floor conference room), 205 Claremont Avenue.

Sign up for the focus groups online here.

FUNDRAISER

A holiday gift wrapping kiosk in support of the new center will be open on Saturdays and Sundays (Nov. 30 to Dec. 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) at the Lackawanna Plaza Montclair Holiday Flea Market.

The Montclair Modern Aging Collective, a nonprofit representing members of the Montclair Gateway to Aging in Place, Aging in Montclair, Do Drop In, and Township Senior Services, is spearheading the fundraiser.

Organizers said donations will go directly to the development of programming and services to “help meet the needs of our robust community of modern agers.”

For more information, contact support@montclaircollective.org.

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