Enumclaw senior center celebrates structural improvements

Rep. Kim Schrier secured a $700,000 grant in 2022, which funded roof repairs and earthquake-resistant structural improvements.

Rep. Kim Schrier, Senior Center Director Melissa Holt, and other city leaders gathered at the Enumclaw Senior Center to celebrate recent revitalization projects.

Shrier, who represents Washington’s 8th district (which includes Enumclaw), helped get the senior center $700,000 from the federal budget in 2022 to address various insufficiencies in the building, which is nearly a century old and, at least until recently, did not meet any modern code standards.

That grant money went toward improving the physical structure of the building. This included shoring up the building to better withstand earthquakes, replacing outdated window glass, repairing the senior center (and youth center) roof, updating the HVAC system, and improving ADA accessibility.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“The Enumclaw Senior Center is so much more than a place to receive a warm meal or a place to access critical resources – it is a place of community for an elderly population that needs it most,” Congresswoman Schrier said in a press release. “That is why these improvements, while not flashy, are so meaningful. They make the senior center a safer space with structural improvements that will keep seniors safe during an earthquake and make it more accessible with ADA ramps. I am proud to have been able to secure this funding in congress for this most meaningful project.”

“The new roof and HVAC will bring us many more years of sustainability to our building and allow us to continue our extensive senior programming within our doors,” Holt said in an email interview. “These upgrades were essential for us to continue to create a welcoming place for future generations. We are grateful to Congresswoman Schrier for her efforts in securing these funds through a community project funding.”

The senior center was built in 1928 and started out as a garment factory; it was converted to a senior center in the early 1980s.

There have been few major upgrades since then, while the numbers of seniors that utilize the building and various programs have grown. According to 2023 census estimates, there are nearly 2,390 seniors in Enumclaw; about 900 currently use the center in some capacity.

The city has determined that overall, it’s not financially worth trying to modernize the building, and has explored options to build a new senior center.

This culminated in the city council putting to the voters a proposed community center, which would have included a modern senior center space. The proposal was rejected by the community last April with more than 52% “no” votes (and the bond required 60% approval).

The council has said it will continue to explore options to improve the senior center, but there has been little, if any, action toward that goal since.

Tags: