Senior center survey results just part of final equation

The people have spoken but that won’t likely be the last word.

La Crosse city council member Doug Happel co-chairs a committee looking at the future of senior centers.

His group has results of a survey in which 671 responded — most of them retried and over 65 years old — on the issue.

Among the hundreds of suggestions from the survey was this: “Leave us alone. We’re doing fine. We do not need a million-dollar center.”

“For example, I don’t know if in some future senior center, there would be an aquatic center. Maybe,” Happel said. “I don’t know if some future senior there might be attached apartments. Maybe.”

The vast majority want to keep centers on the north and south sides, which, says Happel, may or may not be the final solution at the end of the day.

“I think you put it all together, you can narrow it down, probably, to two, perhaps three options and we’ll pick from there,” Happel said.

THe committee will soon make recommendations for the senior centers.

Happel thinks the final decision will come down to building one new center or renovating the north side one and moving the south side center to the south branch library.

It is, however, ultimately up to the city council to make decisions on the centers.