The Cupertino Courier

City readies to expand Sr. Center

By Pam Marino

Representatives are being picked this month for the Senior Center Expansion Advisory Design Committee.

The popular 5,900-square-foot center that opened in 1980 is too small to accommodate the city's growing senior population. The estimated $1 million expansion will nearly double the size of the center, located in Memorial Park, on Stevens Creek Boulevard near Mary Avenue.

The Parks and Recreation Department recommended to the City Council last week that the advisory committee include a City Council member, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Edye Stein, Director of Parks and Recreation Stephen Dowling, Director of Public Works Bert Viskovich, Senior Center Supervisor Diane Snow, Service Center Manager Bob Rizzo, three Senior Center members and two at-large community representatives.

The City Council member may be chosen at the Council's next meeting on Oct. 20.

Applications are being accepted at the Senior Center for members who are interested in serving on the committee; the Senior Advisory Committee will make the final decision on the three representatives. City Council members nominate community at-large representatives; Mayor John Bautista will make the final selection.

Dowling told the council that the committee should be installed by the end of October, so that it can begin meeting with a design consultant in November.

The design phase will take approximately six months.

During that time, a survey will be distributed to Senior Center members to find out what they want and don't want in the way of programs and facilities.

The cost of the design phase, provided for in this year's capital fund budget, is $125,000.

Dowling said the department is hoping that construction will get under way by the end of next summer; no completion date has been projected.

During construction the city will have to shift its senior programs to other locations, Dowling said. Other city facilities are being looked at, and renting facilities is being considered. Dowling said some programs may have to be suspended during construction.

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