Connect with us

Wisconsin

La Crosse senior activity center celebrates Christmas while future of building is unsettled

Published

on

A senior community center in north La Crosse celebrates the holiday season, as the building’s future after the holidays remains uncertain.

The Harry J. Olson Center brought seniors and families together on Saturday for a Christmas lunch party, including bingo and donated prizes. The Olson Center has operated out of a former church for almost 50 years, but officials with the center have been talking with City Hall to avoid having the community center evicted from the building.

Donated prizes are on display before Bingo at Harry J. Olson Christmas party

Recently, the city mentioned the Olson building as a possible site where homeless people could be sheltered during the winter. Officials with the senior center have been raising money to buy the facility from the city, and a petition drive supporting that effort is being circulated.

The Olson Center has occupied a former La Crosse church since the 1970’s

The Olson building is considered the only community center for seniors currently open in La Crosse County.

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

Continue Reading
2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Barry

    December 12, 2022 at 5:45 pm

    Not true. There is another senior center less than a mile away. Way to fact check.

  2. Kent

    December 12, 2022 at 7:16 pm

    These retired folks paid la crosse taxes for 50 years this is their center not Mayor Renolds take your homeless addicts and let them stay by your house Mr Mayor

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *