Wednesday, August 22, 2001
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Wednesday, August 22, 2001 |
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Hecht seeks $300,000 for senior center By DAVE
HAMRICK
Sen. Greg Hecht has thrown his support behind efforts to raise money for a new senior center for Fayette County. Hecht last week wrote to Gov. Roy Barnes asking the governor to recommend a $300,000 state appropriation to help build the center, either in the supplemental 2001 budget or in the full budget for 2002. "The city of Fayetteville and Fayette Senior Services hope to raise nearly $2 million of what appears to be a $2.5 million project," Hecht told the governor. FSS programs like Meals on Wheels "mean so much to our citizens," he wrote, but added that "space is running out" at the county's current senior center. Plans are to build a new senior center on land provided by Fayette County, next to the new county jail and courthouse, under construction next to the current judicial complex. The senior center would be near the entrance to the complex, on Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard. Architects have developed a rendering to show how they expect the facility to look, and a design committee is meeting frequently in efforts to come up with a design that will be compatible with plans for the county complex, said Andy Carden, director of FSS. Plans are for a building of about 13,000 square feet that can serve both active and less active seniors. Consulting firm Mallett and Associates, the firm that is overseeing the county complex construction, will handle engineering of the senior center, Carden said, ensuring that architectural styles won't clash. Working with architects Fynn and Fingerup, the design committee is almost ready with a plan for the building, Carden added. "We started with discussions of need, and worked from the need out," he said. Fayette's government over the years has earmarked some money for the project, and FSS has a little money of its own, he said. FSS officials hope to secure community development block grants for at least part of the cost, and volunteers will be seeking private and corporate donations and grants for the rest. "When all is said and done, I'd like to say I've got enough money," he said. Plans to start the fund-raising were delayed early last year when the County Commission reversed an earlier commission's promise to provide land for the senior center on Lee Street next to the current center. Commissioners decided to delay a decision on where to place the senior center until they had time to master-plan the 65-acre site with room for the new jail, courthouse, senior center and a future county administration building. FSS members have been working toward a new center for years. The current senior center, at 390 Lee St. , is too small for the services FSS offers, said Carden. FSS moved into the 3,300-sq. ft. house soon after it organized about 20 years ago, and members of the group have been working toward the hope of a permanent facility ever since then, he said.
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