Wrangell’s Senior Center may be on the move.
Three months after the borough proposed that the Senior Center relocate to the community center’s multipurpose room, a change in plans may be in order as the center explores the possibility of a new home: the American Legion Hall.
Recent discussions between Juneau-based Catholic Community Service, which operates the Senior Center, and Wrangell’s American Legion Auxiliary have propelled the Legion Hall into pole position for the center’s eventual landing spot.
Staff at Catholic Community Service did not want to comment on the potential relocation until final decisions are made. The borough is no longer involved in the ongoing discussions, according to Legion Auxiliary representatives.
The Senior Center operates out of a small, borough-owned building at the corner of Church and McKinnon streets. However, Borough Manager Mason Villarma wants City Hall to divest from the deteriorating property sometime soon, which prompted the center’s possible move.
The Legion Auxiliary’s Marilyn Mork said the center initially approached the Legion about using their hall as a possible new location. The Legion would “love to make it work,” Mork said on Jan. 6, but the two parties are just in the exploratory phase.
According to Mork, the Legion Hall would not require many physical renovations if the center were to move in there. She said they might need to build a small ramp to the front door for wheelchairs and the pantry area may need expanding, but other than that it would be more of a reshuffling.
“We’ll probably do improvements on a few things, but no major stuff,” Mork said.
She noted the only payments the Legion would expect from the center would be reimbursement for utilities. Additionally, the Legion has offered the free use of its office space to its potential partner.
“We don’t use the office; we use it for storage!” Mork said.
Schedule-wise, there aren’t too many conflicts. Mork said the Legion would have to work around bingo and the other fundraising events it holds, but she said the center’s daytime operations make for a logical pairing with the Legion.
One potential issue with the borough’s idea to move to the community center multipurpose room was limited parking. At the Legion Hall, however, that would likely be a non-issue. Though the Legion only owns the area of the parking lot directly in front of their building, Mork said the borough-owned remainder of the lot would be made available during the Senior Center’s operating hours.
The center is currently open four days a week and provides meals to around three dozen seniors each day. It requests a $5 donation but never denies a meal to anyone. The center is open for those age 60 and older. Their bus service also provides delivered meals for those who prefer their lunch at home and rides to medical and other appointments.
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