Long awaited and much needed, the official groundbreaking for the Dexter Senior Center was held on July 27, before a crowd of gathered community members, elected officials and local senior citizens and older adults.
Construction of the senior center, which is located at 2810 Baker Road, has already begun, but this was the official groundbreaking ceremony to mark the big and important moment.
Jim Carson, Board President of the Dexter Senior Center, helped lead the ceremony. Elected officials on hand included Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, State Senator Sue Shink, Representative Jennifer Conlin, Mayor Shawn Keough, Webster Township Treasurer John Scharf, Dexter school board member Dick Lundy and Washtenaw County Commissioner Jason Maciejewski.
“It is with pleasure and excitement that I stand with you today to mark the beginning of a new chapter in the 200th year of our community,” Carson said beginning the ceremony.
“Today we break ground on a project that has been long-awaited and very much needed—a brand-new Senior Center,” Carson said. “This moment is not just about laying down bricks and mortar; it is about building a space where our seniors can come together, share their wisdom, and enjoy a vibrant and fulfilling life. It is about creating a special place where friendships can grow, activities will flourish, and memories will be made. Our seniors are the foundation of this community. They have dedicated their lives to building this community and it is time to give them a building that they deserve. This new building will serve as a testament to ensuring their well-being, happiness, and continued engagement.”
The Senior Center is its own building and is being built adjacent to the Wellness Center. Once completed the Senior Center and Multigenerational Community Center (Wellness Center) will be neighbor buildings that will serve the entire community.
The aim for the Senior Center is to provide “critical services for area seniors, including health and wellness programs, enrichment classes, hot lunches, meals on wheels for homebound individuals, and social gatherings.”
Dingell, Shink and Maciejewski spoke at the groundbreaking as well. Each expressing their excitement to see a new senior center going up and the importance it will bring to those it will serve.
Each speaker said in many ways the seniors are the foundation of the community.
A summary on how Dexter got to this moment was explained in a joint press release issued by Dexter Community Schools and the Senior Center.
It said:
“From 1995 to 2020, Dexter Community Schools had leased a portion of their Copeland building to the Dexter Senior Center for $1 annually plus the cost of their utilities. As a long-standing supporter of the Senior Center, terms of the District’s 2020 sale of the Copeland building to the Encore Theater included extending the Senior Center lease through 2024. The Senior Center has been working with community partners since that time to secure a permanent home.”
“Dexter Community Schools, which encompasses 88 square miles and includes portions of 8 townships as well as the city, is the only local governmental entity with the infrastructure to run a community center. In 2023, DCS secured an $8.5 million state appropriation for a multigenerational community center. This grant was accomplished through the diligent collaboration of Congresswoman Dingell, Senator Shink, Representative Conlin, and Representative Rheingans. The project also received a $850,000 federal Community Project Funding Grant championed by Congresswoman Dingell. In late fall 2023, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners voted to provide $754,812 in funding for the Dexter Senior Center to build (or remodel) and furnish a Senior Center using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) 3.0 funding. A.R. Brouwer is constructing the building in collaboration with the Dexter Senior Center; once complete, it will be purchased within the grant funding by the District for exclusive use of the seniors.”
In the joint press release, Dexter Senior Center Executive Director Anne Williams said, “The Dexter Senior Center (DSC) provides a welcoming space to gather, socialize, and participate in activities, programs, and services, promoting health and well-being. With our new permanent home, DSC can redesign programs and services, to reimagine aging and make a positive impact on not only our members but the community at large beyond the walls of the center, now and for future generations. The funding received and the partnerships have been transformative for DSC and the community.”
The speakers at the groundbreaking cited Dexter Community Schools and its Superintendent Chris Timmis as playing a big part in helping make this happen.
In summing up all of the thanks and gratitude, Carson said:
“I want to say Thank You to the members of our senior community; you have been patient and supportive throughout this long process. Your input and feedback have been invaluable, and this center is designed with your needs and desires in mind.”
“I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who has worked to bring this vision to life. The list is very large and remarkable. The list includes our Federal and State elected officials, our county, our townships and our city officials. I want to give a special Thank You to our school system officials for providing the leadership and the management in making this project work. And lastly, I want to extend my gratitude to my fellow Senior Center Board Members; and our staff and volunteers for your commitment to making certain that this senior center will be a place where older adults can continue to learn, grow, and thrive.”
“This building is a promise that the Dexter Community will continue to invest in their quality of life and ensure they have a place where they can feel safe, welcome and cherished.”