HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP: Officials seeking public input on the fate of local senior center

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Faced with the prospect of the Hopewell Valley Senior Center in Pennington Borough closing its doors at the end of this year, Hopewell Township officials are circulating a survey that seeks to find out what Hopewell Valley residents would like in a new senior and/or community center., The survey, which is available online at www.HaveYourSayHopewellTwp.org/center, states that Hopewell Township is considering the construction of a new center to replace the existing senior center in Pennington., Pennington Borough officials plan to close the Hopewell Valley Senior Center on Reading Avenue in Pennington because of ongoing maintenance and repair work that is needed on the building. Hopewell Township contributes $5,000 toward the center., “(Hopewell Township officials) can use this opportunity to create a new community facility that would serve all residents of Hopewell Valley. This brief survey is designed to collect residents’ thoughts on how we should approach the project,” according to the survey introduction., The survey is open to anyone who is at least 30 years old and who lives in Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough or Pennington Borough. The deadline to fill out the survey is June 6. The results will be available about two months after the survey’s closing., Hopewell Township Committee will factor in residents’ responses to the survey in deciding whether to create a senior and/or community center. The survey, however, is non-binding and does not commit Township Committee to a course of action., The survey is divided into several sections, beginning with one that attempts to determine respondents’ overall interest in creating a senior and/or community center., The survey also asks respondents about the building design – whether it should be a stand-alone building used only by senior citizens, or whether it should be a community center that has a dedicated area for senior citizens., Another section of the survey asks respondents for their preferred location for it – either adjacent to the ShopRite grocery store at the Route 31 traffic circle, or next to Capital Health Medical Center Hopewell on Scotch Road., It also wants input from residents on programs and activities, such as fitness programs – walking or running clubs, basketball leagues, and group exercise classes., Health and wellness activities that include nutrition, diet and health classes, and screening and fitness assessments are also options., Another option is educational programming, such as foreign language and literature courses to babysitting classes for teens and inter-generational computer instruction for senior citizens., Residents’ input also is being sought on whether to offer social programs such as book clubs, travel nights and movie nights., Senior citizens who respond to the survey may weigh in on whether they would want the Mercer County Nutrition Project for the Elderly – the senior lunch program – to be offered at the new center. It is offered at the senior center now., Other options include inter-generational programs and special events such as senior breakfasts or senior picnics., Although the center would be a public building, it is possible that there would be a fee for some programs. Therefore, the survey asks whether respondents would like a pay-per-program model or a monthly membership fee, or no fee at all., A related question is how to pay for the construction and the operations of the center. The survey suggested a dedicated levy of one penny attached to the Hopewell Township municipal property tax bill. It would cost $64 per year for the average house.