Remodeled centers meet changing needs Three centers in Washington County get much-needed upgrades to better serve today's seniors. In the early 1980s cities in Washington County utilized Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to construct senior centers. In those early years of Loaves & Fishes Centers, we partnered with the cities to incorporate senior nutrition into the planning. These centers have served their communities well and have aged in place along with the seniors. In the last few years Community Development Block Grants again have provided needed support to upgrade outdated, inaccessible buildings that do not meet the needs of today’s more fitness- and technology-minded senior. A new cohort of older adults has begun to take advantage of center programs featuring recreation, education, wellness and café-like dining. Three years ago the City of Tigard received a grant to expand the Tigard Senior Center with a garden room and upper deck, a cozy library with a fireplace and a complete kitchen and dining makeover. The number of seniors dining at Tigard Loaves & Fishes jumped by 17 percent in the first year after the remodel. Other programing at the center has expanded to include exercise and continuing education classes.
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New entrance of the North Plains Senior Center. Three other Washington County Loaves & Fishes Centers underwent significant improvements last summer with the help of CDBG funding. The Juanita Pohl Center in Tualatin expanded the dining room, added power-assist front doors, energy-efficient heating and ventilation, bicycle parking and an extension of the Tualatin River Greenway. The Marjorie Stewart Senior Center in Sherwood received funds for significant infrastructure improvements that included an interior facelift along with parking and accessibility improvements. The biggest remodel took place at the North Plains Center. In the first of a three-phase project, the North Plains Center gained offices, new flooring, new restrooms, windows and a remodeled front porch and façade. “The remodeled center gives the seniors a real sense of pride in their
senior center,” said North Plains Center Manager Margaret Wold. “We’ve seen a definite increase in the number of senior diners since we reopened, including younger seniors and seniors from out of the area. Once they visit, they come back!” Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District is continually remodeling the Elsie Stuhr Center in Beaverton, home to the Beaverton Loaves & Fishes Center, to keep up with the number of older adults participating in meals, exercise, dining, classes, tours, ballroom dancing and more. The Parks District planning has focused on offering opportunities for a healthy, active lifestyle for retiring boomers. Loaves & Fishes Centers values these community partnerships that provide connections to senior nutrition and socialization.
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