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Politics & Government

Senior Center Has Higher Fees, Shorter Hours

Despite budget cuts, popular programs—lunch, art and exercise classes—will continue.

The Hercules Senior Center endures, although reduced funding—part of a regimen of citywide budget cuts—is bringing changes.

Membership fees will increase from $10 to $20 on Aug. 1, and the center has already shortened its hours of operation. It is now open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; before the cuts, the center was open until 5 p.m. Three staff members were laid off July 1.

To fit into the new schedule, several classes and programs have been moved to different times of day. Classes such as tai chi, art and dance routinely attract about 30 members each.

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“A lot of the members are very unhappy that they had to switch their schedules,” said Gwen Windham, the center's new supervisor. “Mainly it was the ones with the classes who had to change their hours.”

Windham has worked for the city's Parks and Recreation Department for 11 years, supervising the child care program at Ohlone Elementary School. When the senior center supervisor was laid off earlier this year as part of the city's fiscal belt-tightening, Windham began splitting her time between Ohlone and the senior center.

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Windham’s efforts are supplemented by those of volunteers, some of whom prepare and serve lunch while others teach classes.

Lunch Still on the Center's Menu

Fortunately, one thing for Hercules seniors remains the same—lunch.

The center is still providing its its low-priced senior nutrition program Monday through Friday. Senior center members under 60 years old pay $5, while those over 60 pay $2 for a meal catered by C.C. Café. They pre-order their preferred selection the day before.

Windham believes the program is a primary reason why the center still exists.

“I’m just filling in the supervisor position here so that the senior nutrition meal will continue,” Windham said. “They need someone over here to run the program or the senior center would not be open, I’m sure.

“Now that I’m here I see the senior center is a vital part of the community that they need to continue, regardless if I’m here or not,” she added. “A lot of adults don’t have any place to go and they just come down here.”

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