City of Davis

Phase III Grand Opening!
Wednesday May 18, 2005
4:00 p.m. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Grand Opening Festivities
 

Everyone is Welcome!

The Parks and Community Services Department is pleased to announce the official Grand Opening Ceremony for the long awaited Phase III Expansion to the Davis Senior Center, to be held on Wednesday May 18, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The Davis Senior Center, located at the corner of 7th and A streets, is the focal point for recreational, social and supportive services for mature adults and their family members in Davis. The programs and services are designed to create unique experiences that are sure to capture the heart and interests of those who visit us. Opening festivities will include keynote speakers, a ribbon cutting ceremony, class demonstrations, health & wellness information, entertainment, refreshments, raffles & giveaways. We hope that you will join us in this celebration of new beginnings!

The creation of the Phase III Expansion was a result of five years of diligent work by City staff, program participants, support organizations, the City Council and various City Commissions. Although the new section of the facility has been in use during this past month, the City is excited to finally bring the new addition officially online to the community at large. The Phase III Expansion project was not only created to accommodate the future needs of senior services in the city, but it will also serve as the new home for the Alternative Recreation program, which is being relocated out of Redwood Park.

The Davis Senior Center has a long standing history of servicing the Davis community, beginning in the 1960s, when the City first provided meeting space in the Chestnut Roundhouse for the 50 Plus Club. Soon, additional space was needed and the program was moved to the old City Library Building (then known as the Teen Center). Then in 1972, the Parks and Community Services Department rented a storefront in the core downtown area for the club, and soon thereafter, the 50 Plus Club officially incorporated as the Senior Citizens of Davis, Inc.

The continued expansion of senior programs and activities, social and health services, nutrition services, transportation services, and information & assistance programs soon emphasized the continued need for a larger facility. In the late 1970s, a movement toward a larger building formalized and by 1981, the City Council appropriated funds for design plans, and designated the new site at 7th & A. Phase I of the Davis Senior Center broke ground in September 1982, and opened to the public in early 1983. The Phase I section included a small multipurpose room, staff offices, restrooms, lobby and a small residential style kitchen.

Immediately following the formal dedication of the new Senior Center in May 1983, the Senior Citizens of Davis began fundraising for a Phase II addition due to the continuing demand for increased space. After several years of fundraising, and with the help from numerous private donations and local grants, the Phase II addition was officially opened in September 1987. The Phase II addition provided another large multipurpose room, which could be divided into two smaller activity rooms, a large professional catering kitchen, additional restrooms, and a smaller activity room for games. The Phase II Expansion not only provided the necessary programming space for senior services, but it also provided a high quality rental facility for the entire community at large.

Since 1987, the Davis Senior Center has continued to expand its services for older adults, which now includes over 275 different programs and activities offered through the center. Through the ongoing support of its members, the Senior Citizens of Davis (SCD) has also led the way to numerous other accomplishments which have enhanced the amenities at the Senior Center, such as the purchasing of new furniture and entertainment/computer equipment, the creation of a senior scholarship program which provides financial assistance to older adults participating in Senior Center activities, the funding of the Senior Scene newsletter, and the creation of the Senior Memorial Bronze Statuary in 2002.

Then in 2001, with the ever looming Baby Boomer generation nipping at our heels, plans began for the Phase III addition to the center. The new expansion would provide additional programming space for senior services, but also, provide a permanent home to the Alternative/Inclusive Recreation program, which serves the developmentally disabled. Through the combined planning & fundraising efforts of SCD, the Senior Citizens and Recreation & Park Commissions, the Alternative Recreation participants, and many private individuals and community organizations, construction began in May 2004 for the Phase III addition.

The Davis Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with occasional evening and weekend activities. For more information about the Davis Senior Center, you may call (530) 757-5696 or you may also contact the Davis Alternative Recreation program at (530) 757-5694. Information on both city programs is also available online at www.cityofdavis.org/pcs or by emailing the Senior Center staff at seniorservices@cityofdavis.org