Prosper - Celina Edition | December 2023

Celina sets new space for seniors From the cover

BY ALEX REECE

How we got here

In a nutshell

While the new center opened in early December, its downtown predecessor opened nearly 40 years ago, and the seniors have outgrown it, Webb said. The downtown senior center oered a place for seniors to go, resident Donna Walker said. Walker said she didn’t venture out much because of the pandemic before visiting the original center in April. The senior center was about 1,800 square feet, Parks and Recreation Director Cody Webb said. The new center is more than double that, he said. “[The original center] just got to be too tight in there for [the seniors],” Webb said. “It became a safety issue with them being in there, being that compact and not being able to move and ex.”

Celina’s population has grown in recent years including its senior population, which has grown by 122.22% from 2010 to 2022, according to US Census data. “Celina has grown, and so has our aging population and their need for a well-deserved, expanded facility,” Tubbs said. The center has around 50 ocial members, 30 of whom show up consistently, Mayeld said. It is free to be a member, but center sta plan to introduce fees in the future, Mayeld said.

Percentage of Celina residents age 65-plus

14%

9.4%

8.6% 7.9%

7.6%

6.3% 6.6%

2010

2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

SOURCES: CITY OF CELINA, U.S. CENSUS BUREAUCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Diving deeper

Senior center timeline

Work on the Ralph O’Dell Senior Center, located at 410 E. Main St., ocially began in early 2022 and has taken roughly 18 months and $3.2 million to get where it is now, Tubbs said. “[The center] is a great amenity for our seniors,” Tubbs said. “ ... The old center … wasn’t worth it to even renovate it in [the city’s] long-term plans because eventually the old senior center as well as city hall will come down in the next three to ve years when our future government center is built.” The idea to name the new center for resident Ralph O’Dell, longtime member and coordinator at the senior center, came directly from the other seniors, Webb said. The center is nestled inside a former eld house at Ousley Park, a roughly 30-acre city project expected to break ground in 2025. “This is just a greater project in the grand vision for how Ousley Park will develop,” Tubbs said

1980s

• Main Street senior center opens

2022

• January 2022: The Ousley family and City of Celina enter an agreement to acquire 8.4 acres for a future park • April 2022: Renderings of the new senior center are presented to City Council • May 2022: City and Celina ISD oficials announce Bobcat Field would be preserved and used as a linear park • October 2022: Construction begins • December 2022: City Council approve the name of the Ralph O’Dell Senior Center

Seniors attend a workout class in the new center.

ALEX REECECOMMUNITY IMPACT

RALPH O'DELL CENTER LOCATION APPROXIMATE

FORMER CELINA SENIOR CENTER

455

2023

289

• November 2023: The Ralph O’Dell Senior Center was completed.

SOURCE: CITY OF CELINACOMMUNITY IMPACT

Going forward

"It’s an investment in the future. It’s honoring the people who are part of our past and giving them something nice to cherish for the future.” MAYOR RYAN TUBBS

The additional thousands of square feet available for seniors at the center could encourage more attendees, Mayeld said. One specic upgrade is the 40-space parking lot instead of the on-street parking at the original center, Tubbs said. Other amenities include a larger indoor gym area, a new kitchen, additional meeting space and more.

The Ralph O’Dell Senior Center will hopefully be a haven for the entire community, Webb said. It is open to anyone and residency in Celina is not required. “It’s not just the senior center,’” he said. “We want this to be an all-inclusive place where you can come and hang out.”

PROSPER - CELINA EDITION