Long under-used, Senior Center serving community
A “very productive meeting” was held in late January which appeared to allow for more access for the community at a building formally named the Highland Falls Senior Center.
In a recent first step, the building now sports a sign calling it the Highland Falls Community Center.
In a second step, last week Town of Highlands Recreation Director Aaron Falk was given a key to the building and began operating the town’s weekly food distribution program (Thursdays, noon-1:30 p.m.) out of the building on January 28.
Next up, Falk hopes, the Town and Village Boards will be able to agree on a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the use of the building for not only recreation programs, but also Falk’s office to be located there.
The meeting regarding the building included Mayor Joe D’Onofrio, Trustee Merv Livsey, Councilman Tyrone King and Falk. Last Monday, King updated the Town Board about the meeting, and received a positive response.
“We are ready to move forward with a collaborative and holistic approach to community recreation,” King said. He asked for that MoA to be created.
D’Onofrio said he wants it to happen.
“I’m in favor of Aaron moving his office to the building because that means it could be open daily for our senior citizens,” he said.
As for the immediate use of the building for the food distribution (most recently held at the American Legion Hall), the mayor agreed with Falk that it’s a good location for such a program because it allows those who live in the north end of Highland Falls who may not have vehicles to walk to the site.
“We feel really good with this happening as we go into 2021,” Falk said at the Town Board meeting, saying that he has ideas for programs for youth, for seniors, and for youth and seniors together that could take place there. He also said with his oversight it could be used as a community heating and cooling center when necessary, and that the Dial-A-Bus could be operated from that location.
Since the building was purchased using grant money nearly a decade ago, it has mostly been used for monthly Highlanders Senior Citizens Club meetings. It’s been furnished with donations, and upgraded using grant money. It has mostly sat unused during the months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The building is located just behind Main St., with an entrance off Drew Ave. It has a significant parking area.
