For most of the last two decades, the Staunton Senior Center has been searching for a permanent home of its own. Staffers and volunteers celebrated a ribbon-cutting that marks the end of that search on Wednesday.
A major historic renovation transformed an old high school in Staunton into Gypsy Hill Place. The complex on Churchville Avenue houses dozens of senior apartments, office and performance space for ShenanArts and finally, the Staunton Senior Center.
This ribbon-cutting has been a long time coming - especially for former Staunton Councilwoman Rita Wilson.
"I was on the council 16 years trying to get (it) the whole time. Every budget time, I would say ‘senior center, senior center, senior center' so, this is it; beautiful," said Wilson.
This spacious home of the Staunton Senior Center has a commercial kitchen to keep up with demand for Meals on Wheels and a pair of large gathering rooms for lunches, games and activities.
Senior Center Director Lynn Harris stated, "People are not staying at home watching TV. They are out there, they are doing things, they are creative."
The new senior center is the launching pad for everything from art classes to day trips. It's housed in the newly renovated Gypsy Hill Place, site of the original Lee High School and a short walk to many more assets.
"There's music in the park. There's shopping downtown. There's the library up the street. And so there's all kinds of things going on around us that we can take advantage of," Harris said.
The senior center spent decades moving between temporary homes, sharing church social halls and kitchens. This time staff and volunteers got to design the space to their needs.
Wilson stated, "It's so nice that we as seniors now can be part of the community. It's nice to have something of our own."
It cost more than $300,000 to convert old locker rooms and shop-class space into the Staunton Senior Center. But there are very few taxpayer dollars involved. It was funded mostly with new markets tax credits, grants and private donations.
