It’ll be moving day as prepares to open its new facility on Aug. 1.
Furniture, file cabinets – anything worth moving, according to Township Supervisor David Boulanger - will be going from the , 408 S. Oak Park Ave., to a new home for senior services at 130 S. Oak Park Ave. The building, which also will house youth programs, is just across the street from the Township's main office at 105 S. Oak Park Ave.
An opening ceremony is slated for 10 a.m. Aug. 11. Afterward an open house will take place until 1 p.m. when staff will be on hand to answer questions and offer tours.
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It is a dream come true for township officials, staff and clients who for years have wanted to move into quarters that offered more space and would be more accessible to clients and staff alike, Boulanger said.
“The Arms has been a good landlord. But access to the fifth and sixth floors (where senior services were housed) was a continual problem,” Boulanger said. “It was a small elevator that broke down. Now people are looking forward to the new location and accessibility.”
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Over a period of time the township socked money away in the capital fund with eyes on the eventual relocation of the senior program. A number of different options were explored, including moving to different sites on Madison Street, reusing the YMCA site to sharing the 19th Century Club, according to information provided by the Township.
The key date though was when township voters at a special meeting overwhelmingly approved housing the new senior facility on South Oak Park Avenue, just a couple of blocks from the Oak Park Arms.
Construction started in November, and it was hoped that it would be completed by the end of June. Boulanger said installing the elevator caused a one-month delay.
Building renovations were a bit higher than expected. An addition was put in to enclose the stairs, storage space and a sprinkler system were added. All told the 8,800 square-foot facility cost $2.1 million. Approximately $1.45 million was spent on renovations, plus a security system, Internet, air conditioning and new furniture. Purchase price of the building was $650,000.
“We’re feeling good about this,” said Boulanger who noted that the Township had the funds to cover the costs. “There’s a lot of community interest for this.”
