HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-11-26-CCTF.rpt (Community Center Task Force Report)Final Report
of the
Community Center Task Force
November 26, 2012
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................ ..............................3
CHARGE TO THE TASK FORCE ................................................................................................... ..............................3
PROCESS........................................................................................................................................ ..............................3
FINDINGS....................................................................................................................................... ..............................4
RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................................... ..............................5
CHARGE....................................................................................................................... ..............................7
REVIEW OF PREVIOUS STUDIES .......................................................................... ..............................8
SENIOR CENTER STUDIES ........................................................................................................... ..............................8
LEXINGTON 2020 VISION COMMITTEE ................................................................................... ..............................9
TEEN STUDY - BELFRY CENTER ORGANIZING COMMITTEE ................................................ ..............................9
COMMUNITY INTERVIEWS .................................................................................. .............................10
HUMANSERVICES ...................................................................................................................... .............................10
RECREATION DEPARTMENT .................................................................................................. ...............................
11
CARY MEMORIAL LIBRARY .................................................................................................... ...............................
11
LEXINGTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITY ............................................................................. .............................12
LABBB - LEXINGTON ................................................................................................................. .............................13
POLICE DEPARTMENT, MARK CORR, CHIEF HAYDEN RECREATION CENTRE, DONALD MAHONEY,
DIRECTOR.................................................................................................................................. ...............................
13
LEXINGTON LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS COMMUNITY CONVERSATION .......................13
BEST PRACTICES .................................................................................................... .............................14
ONLINE RESEARCH ................................................................................................ .............................15
COMMUNITY SURVEY ............................................................................................ .............................16
DEMOGRAPHICS................................................................................................... ...............................
20
SUMMARY OF NEEDS ........................................................................................... ...............................
22
RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................... ...............................
23
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ..................................................................................................... ...............................
23
FACILITIES................................................................................................................................. ...............................
24
IMPLEMENTATION................................................................................................................... ...............................
25
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................... ...............................
25
APPENDIX.................................................................................................................. ...............................
26
November 26, 2012 Final Report 2
Executive Summary
Charge to the Task Force
The Community Center Task Force was charged with developing a report about the
concept of a community center, including recommendations, to serve the
intellectual, physical, and social needs of Seniors, other adults, teens and youth in
our community.
Specifically the Task Force will:
• Explore other towns' approaches to providing these services in an effort to
determine best practices
• Confirm the stakeholders
• Identify the services they need
• Determine how the services get delivered'
The charge emphasized that we were to investigate needs without considering
available or potentially available facilities. Therefore, we focused on community
needs and how they could be met. We then created a concept that could meet the
needs that we found.
Process
To carry out our work we were to:
• Explore other towns' approaches to providing these services in an effort to
determine best practices
• Visited eleven sites
Arlington, Burlington, Cambridge, Chatham, Harwich, Hingham,
Hudson, Newton, North Andover, Wellesley, Weston
Conducted online and phone research on nearby towns
Acton, Bedford, Belmont, Brookline, Concord, Natick,
Needham, Sudbury, Watertown, Westford,
Westwood, Winchester
Confirm the stakeholders and
Identify the services they need
Conducted a town -wide survey
1,236 responses: approximately 4% of population
and 11% of households
1 Complete charge can be found in the Appendix.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 3
• Reviewed Lexington's demographic data
• Interviewed key department heads, heads of community
organizations, and individuals with expertise in specific areas
■ Charlotte Rodgers, Director of Human Resources
Karen Simmons, Director of Recreation
Koren Stembridge, Director of Cary Memorial Library
Victoria Buckley, Chair, Lexington Commission on Disability
Ellen McDonald, Teen Advocate
Don Mahoney, Executive Director, Hayden Recreation Centre
James Kelly, LABBB High School Program Director
Paula Rizzo, LABBB Recreational and Integration Coordinator
Mark Corr, Lexington Chief of Police
• Attended the League of Women Voters Community Conversation on
September 27, 2011, 160 attendees
• Examined data from the 2003 survey of Clarke and Diamond Middle
School students and Lexington High School students
• Examined reports of Lexington committees
Vision 2020, Council on Aging, Belfry Center
• Met more than 24 times from May, 2011 through November, 2012
• Issued a preliminary report to the Board of Selectmen on
January 9, 2012
Findings
From interviews, reviews of prior studies, site visits, and survey we found needs for:
• Updated facilities for seniors
• Programs for teens
• Space of all kinds for every segment of our community: meetings, recreation,
exercise, performance, etc.
• Broadly felt need to encourage and develop stronger community engagement
and identity
• Better dissemination of information to the whole community
• Social and wellness initiatives in many groups
Some of these needs have a long history in Lexington.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 4
Recommendations
• Determine how services get delivered
We believe that a community center would augment the excellent resources that
Lexington already offers, and would enrich the lives of all its citizens. We therefore
recommend that Lexington create or repurpose a building to house a community
center.
A facility that houses generations, activities, and community departments is critical
to resolving our needs. This facility should be the home of the Human Services and
Recreation departments, organizations with the expertise needed to provide
programs and activities to meet our needs. By locating Human Services and
Recreation in a building where the activities and programs will be held, the
departments will be able to collaborate, providing a comprehensive menu of
services and activities without the duplication that is inevitable when serving the
same populations in different places. This facility should also be the centralized
location for community information and volunteer opportunities, and the gathering
place for the Lexington community.
A community center is more than the sum of its parts. Not only will it be a place
where people receive town services and participate in programs; a community
center is a way for Lexington to capture the vitality of its people and cultures, and to
give back the energy and support that each one of us provides. It will serve both as a
focal point for our community and as a source of civic pride.
Specifically, the task force recommends the following:
• Construct a new building or repurpose an existing facility
• Dedicated space for seniors and teens
• Offices for Human Resources and Recreation departments
• Centralized information and volunteer services
• Flexible rooms for meetings, casual gathering space with food service for
drop -in activities, exercise space for all
• Centrally located or on public transportation routes
• Ample parking
• Provide for intergenerational, interest - based, and therapeutic programming
• Encourage community- sponsored activities
• Bring the center to fruition
• Appoint a follow -on task force to develop the next steps of the process
November 26, 2012 Final Report 5
• Appoint an advisory board for the community center consisting of
Municipal employees such as Human Services, Recreation and
Police
■ Representatives from such community institutions as Cary
Library, Hayden Recreation Centre, Munroe Center for the Arts,
and the Lexington Interfaith Council
Hire an architect to evaluate building requirements and prepare a design
plan
For more than twenty years, Lexington has sought to identify an appropriate site for
an improved senior center that can deliver diverse programming to an increasing
and changing senior population. Lexington has also searched for ways to engage
and nurture our youth, and to help them successfully navigate their teenage years.
With this history in mind, we determined the additional space and facilities needed
to provide for not only for the senior and teen populations, but also for all of
Lexington's citizens.
A community center for Lexington is a concept whose time has come.
Respectfully submitted by the Community Center Task Force, November 26, 2012
The Community Center Task Force is comprised of seven voting members and ten
liaisons. These members represent a broad spectrum of the Lexington community
in age, experience, and interests.
Members:
Laura Hussong, Chair
Jim Goell, Vice -chair
Betty Borghesani
Tim Dugan
Sophia Ho
Florence Koplow
Lisah Rhodes
Liaisons:
Nancy Adler
Sandro Alessandrini
Chris Ammer
Michelle Ciccolo
Gail Fields
Stephanie Lawrence
Hank Manz
Jane Trudeau
Sandy Schwartz
Greg Zurlo
Website: http: / /www.lexingtonma.gov /committee /communitycenter.cfm
November 26, 2012 Final Report 6
Charge
The Community Center Task Force is charged with developing a report about the
concept of a community center, including recommendations, to serve the
intellectual, physical, and social needs of Seniors, other adults, teens and youth in
our community.
The Community Center Task Force was charged with evaluating the needs of
Lexington residents, and matching those needs to a concept of a community center.
We did not consider a building, building designs, or locations.
Our guiding principles were as follows:
• Focus on needs rather than available facilities
• Identify unmet needs
• Consider programs for each major segment of the community
• Consider programs that are complementary to the existing activities and
programs available in Lexington
• Replicate and enhance the activities and programs of the current Lexington
Senior Center
The work of the task force was divided into three phases.
In the first phase we reviewed the reports of past senior center and teen center task
forces and the 2020 Committee, visited existing facilities in other towns to identify
best practices, and interviewed town department heads and community thought
leaders. From this work we developed a preliminary concept that was the basis for a
community survey.
For the second phase we solicited community input by creating and publicizing our
survey; we also reviewed census, state and local demographic data.
The final phase consisted of compiling the results of the survey, reconfirming the
suggestions of the department heads and community leaders, and writing this
report.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 7
Review of Previous Studies
The Task Force studied the work done by prior committees. We examined the
reports on the adequacy of the existing senior center and on the need for a teen
center, both long- standing and difficult issues in Lexington. These reports are still
relevant today, so we did not attempt to redo their work. We also looked at reports
from the Vision 2020 Committee, which manages the Lexington 2020 Vision process
of community conversation and long -term planning. What did we learn from these
studies?
Senior Center Timeline
1976
Senior Center first opened at the Visitor's Center
1978
Senior Center moved to two rooms at the Church of Our Redeemer
1985
Senior Center moved to Muxxey Condominiums (intended as temporary location)
1998
First attempts to establish permanent location for the Senior Center
2000
Town Meeting approved "$50,000 for site analysis and schematic drawings" for a
new Senior Center
2000
Senior Center Siting Committee established
2001
COA Siting Committee established
2002
Board of Selectmen approved investigation of North Street site
2003
Re- evaluation Advisory Committee established
2005
Senior Center Action Plan Committee established
2006
SCAPC released its report
2007
Town Meeting approved a feasibility study to evaluate the 'White House' site
2008
Report on the findings of the feasibility study by Bargmann Hendrie +Archetype
2009
Board of Selectmen delay decision on use of'White House' site
Senior Center Studies
There is a long history of advocacy for updated facilities for Lexington's seniors.
Though the need for a new senior center has been recognized, the lack of an
appropriate facility or available parcels of land has prevented progress on this
effort.
• Reports consistently identify problems with the Senior Center physical space
• Space, age (adults -only) and time (M -F 8:30 -4:30) limitations restrict desired
programming
November 26, 2012 Final Report 8
The 2009 Council on Aging report to Town Meetingz identified program
deficiencies
• The 2011 Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype, Inc. architectural firm's study3
identified significant building deficiencies
Lexington 2020 Vision Committee
Since its inception in 1998, the 2020 Vision Committee has worked to obtain
community input on key issues concerning Lexington. In 2005 the committee
published a report, Forging Constructive Community Discourse4 that identified the
creation of a community gathering place as a priority for Lexington:
"We envision a community center where people can talk, eat and drink, and
interact, thereby enhancing their social, physical, and emotional well- being."
In recent 2020 Vision - sponsored focus groups discussing key issues, residents
identified the goals and actions that are most important to them.5 Some comments
that are of particular interest to the task force are:
• Encourage civic engagement
• Encourage involvement of Asian community
• Understand Asian culture
• Have more community events
• Need more community meeting places
• Improve /increase communication.
• Have more pick -up and intramural sports
• Have town -wide festivals with street closures
Teen Study - Belfry Center Organizing Committee
In 2003 a citizen group, the Belfry Center Organizing Committee, proposed creating
a Teen Center in a church that was for sale. As part of their study, they surveyed
middle and high school students; surveys were returned by 653 middle schools
students and by 530 Lexington High School students. The document6 that the
committee created as a business plan is a trenchant study of teen life in Lexington.
2 http: / /Iexingtonma. gov / towngovernment /COApresentation.pdf
3 http: / /Iexingtonma. gov /humanservices /Muzzey- Sr -Ctr- Improvement- Report_082411.pdf
4 Report is available on the website: http: / /Iexingtonma.gov /committees /2020vision.cfm
s http: / /Iexingtonma.gov /committees /2020focusgroups.cfm
6 The Belfry Center: A Student Union for Lexington's Teens, May, 2003 is available on our website
November 26, 2012 Final Report 9
The conclusions drawn by the teen center committee say that that teens want and
need:
• Direct voice in programming decisions
• Unstructured, unprogrammed time for socializing
• Opportunity for meaningful adult contact
• Their own space with a separate entrance
• Space for physical activities: non -team sports, yoga, foosball, etc.
• Almost half of the respondents indicated their wish to be able to walk to such
a facility
Community Interviews
We wanted to learn what town experts believe to be the needs of Lexington's
citizens. To do this we focused on the departments that provide direct services to
the community, as well as community leaders who have expertise in particular
areas.
Human Services
(Charlotte Rodgers, Director) The Human Services Department offices are in the
Lexington Senior Center. It is responsible for the operation and programming of the
Lexington Senior Center as well as Senior Services, Youth Services, Family & Human
Services, Veterans Services, and Transportation Services /Lexpress. Working with
municipal departments, community groups, and service providers, the department
coordinates social services for all Lexington residents.
Problems
• They serve the entire Lexington population in space restricted to serving
seniors only, between 8:30am and 4:30pm Monday through Friday
• Inadequate space and accessibility
• Isolated location
• Lack of programming for active seniors
Needs
• Confidential counseling space meeting professional ethics requirements
• Evening and weekend hours
November 26, 2012 Final Report 10
• Connections to the larger community
• Dedicated health room for wellness visits, podiatry, massage therapy
• Technology lab for training
• Therapeutic programming for people with disabilities
• Appropriate space for fitness classes
• Activities and programs that appeal to all seniors
• Natural and typical gathering place with refreshments
Recreation Department
(Karen Simmons, Director) The Recreation Department operates on an enterprise
fund; fees cover all of their operating costs for programming and facilities. It
maintains the town pools, the Old Res, Pine Meadows Golf Course, neighborhood
and Center parks, tennis courts, and athletic fields on and off school grounds. It has
five full -time and 175 seasonal, part -time staff. In FY 2011 it had 255 volunteers
who contributed 5,400 hours to the community.
Problems
• Unpredictability of space: last - minute school needs for their space causes
cancellation or relocation of recreation programs that are scheduled into
school rooms
• Lack of storage space limits ability to offer programs with a lot of equipment
• Lack of sufficient space limits ability to offer programs of all kinds
• Summer programs end early to accommodate school schedules
Needs
• Dedicated program space and storage space
• More effective partnering with Lexington departments
• Therapeutic programming
• Large, indoor space for programming and community gatherings
• Drop -in activities for all ages
Cary Memorial Library
(Koren Stembridge, Director) Cary Memorial Library is community treasure. In
addition to its obvious function as a popular and well -used library, it also provides
November 26, 2012 Final Report 11
programming for all ages, and has two meeting rooms that are available for use by
the public.
Problems
• People are turned away when space fills up for programs
• Rooms not appropriate for all types of programs they offer
• Meetings in the public meeting rooms must end when library closes
Needs
• Additional space for programs
• Space appropriate for activities (arts and crafts, cooking)
• Extended hours for programming
• Media /technology lab for teen programming
Lexington Commission on Disability
(Victoria Buckley, Chair) We must remember that accessibility is not only important
for people with disabilities; good and intentional design means all people can be
included in the activities of a community.
Problems
• People who have problems with vision, hearing or language are effectively
excluded from accessing programs if they can't see, hear or understand the
language.
• Mobility and navigation
Needs
• Good design of signs and spaces
• Socializing
• Inclusion in larger life of the community
• Expanded connections to services such as through the Massachusetts
Rehabilitation Commission
November 26, 2012 Final Report 12
LABBB- Lexington
(James Kelly, LABBB High School Program Director, and Paula Rizzo, LABBB
Recreational and Integration Coordinator) There is great enthusiasm for the
possibility of programming for LABBB students at a community center, either run by
their staff or coordinated with community programs. They will help; we need only
ask.
Problems
• Programs end when LABBB ends at age 22
• Isolation and inactivity
Needs
Vocational training sites for current LABBB students performing cleaning,
maintenance, and grounds- keeping work with a work -site supervisor
• Programs and activities for former LABBB students: dances, cooking classes,
arts and crafts, video nights
Police Department, Mark Corr, Chief
Hayden Recreation Centre, Donald Mahoney, Director
Members of the task force also met with Lexington Police Chief Mark Corr and
Donald Mahoney, Executive Director of the Hayden Recreation Centre. Chief Corr
was very positive about the needs and benefits a center would offer Lexington; the
report from this interview is available on our website. Mr. Mahoney provided input
on Hayden's youth programs and facilities.
Lexington League of Women Voters Community
Conversation
On September 27, 2011 the Community Center Task Force attended the program
entitled, "League of Women Voters Community Conversation: What Does
Community Mean: How Can We Find It Together ?. " A number of Lexington groups,
both town and private, participated with the League in organizing this event,
bringing together more than 160 residents and town staff to talk about what
community is and how it might be achieved in Lexington.
The participants were randomly assigned to a table. Each table consisted of ten
people plus a facilitator and scribe. At every table the same two questions were
discussed:
1. How can our community be more helpful and supportive to me?
November 26, 2012 Final Report 13
2. How can I become more engaged in our community?
The major themes heard that evening echo many of the themes we saw in earlier
2020 Vision reports, confirming that there continues to be a desire to connect more
with our neighbors and our town:
• Improve information gathering and dissemination
• Improve programs for seniors, youth, persons in life -stage transitions
• Welcome and integrate newcomers
• Integrate those from other races and cultures
• Encourage neighborhood -based activities
Best Practices
Members of our task force visited and wrote reports on eleven communities. We
are featuring three facilities because we found that they exemplified programming
excellence, and are what we consider to be "best practices" in their particular areas.
In each case we found programs, practices, or spaces that we felt could inform our
efforts to create an appropriate community center for Lexington. The complete
reports on each of these sites are included in our Appendix. The reports on all of
our site visits, including pictures of some sites, are available on our website.
North Andover Youth Center
We were very impressed by this center. Their director has a very strong and
positive relationship with the town's teens, close working relationships with police,
youth services, schools, the court system, the North Andover Senior Center, and
parents. The facility has spaces designed and tended by the teens themselves,
opportunities for meaningful leadership roles, and the possibility of paid
employment. The North Andover Youth Center practices should be an example to us
as we develop youth programming in a community center.
Weston Community Center
Also exemplary is the Weston Community Center, part of an extensive municipal
campus of schools, library, pools and fields. The community center is home to the
Council on Aging and the Recreation Department, with bright, cheery spaces and
places to gather both inside and outdoors. The community center rooms are all
multi -use and flexible, some with dividers or doors that can turn a large space into
smaller spaces. The facilities are used seamlessly by adults and children.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 14
The seniors have a section of the building that is theirs, with a separate entrance
from the parking lot. Just outside the senior area is a garden- rimmed patio
overlooking school playing fields; the patio is used as a place to eat, socialize, and
exercise gardening skills.
Harwich Community Center
This is by far the most impressive facility. It represents our vision for a well -run and
comprehensive intergenerational community center. This center offers a variety of
arts, fitness, music and education programs in its flexible, multi - purpose rooms,
each of which can be divided into multiple smaller spaces. Free wireless Internet is
available throughout the building and in parts of the outside space, and the center
makes typical meeting equipment available. The floor plan of Harwich Community
Center is designed to effectively manage the dual desires to bring people together,
and also to allow some groups their own space; this is something we want to
replicate.
Online Research
Project for Public Places
The task force reviewed the report from The Project for Public Places in order to
determine how a community center might serve the varied needs of the Lexington
community. It stated that a successful public place:
• Brings people together
• Fosters meaningful relationships
• Promotes connections to the community as a whole
• is a safe and welcoming environment
• is accessible
• Engages people in various activities
• is comfortable and has a good image
• is a sociable place where people meet and can bring their families and
friends.?
7 The Project for Public Places is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create public spaces that
build stronger communities. See their website: http: / /www.pps.org /reference /grplacefeat/
November 26, 2012 Final Report 1s
Volunteer and Information Center
We became convinced of the need for a comprehensive, centrally located volunteer
center after seeing how other facilities use volunteers extensively, and then by
researching the subject online$. There are many benefits attributed to volunteering:
• Greater social integration in later years
• Lower levels of depression
• Less likely to suffer from ill health later in life
• Older volunteers are the most likely to receive physical and mental health
benefits
We also realized that it is hard for residents to find the information they need in
order to be and feel connected to what is happening in the community. A
comprehensive information service was tested in our survey and was found to be
highly desirable.
Surrounding Communities
We surveyed twelve towns by phone and online in an effort to understand how
other towns serve the needs of their citizens. We were surprised to discover how
difficult it is to draw meaningful conclusions for Lexington from the data. Towns
have some combination of recreation, senior, teen, and community centers, but the
services provided by each town and in each type of center depends on the needs and
characteristics of that town. We ultimately focused on identifying particular
programs, designs, concepts, and characteristics that we felt could be successful in
Lexington. The data collected are summarized in the Appendix.
Community Survey
It was important for the task force to get a sense of the Lexington community's
response to its preliminary concepts. The survey was designed to find out both
what citizens feel is important to have for Lexington, as well as what is important
for themselves personally. The survey was posted on the task force website from
May 6 until June 30, 2012. We asked a variety of questions based on our preliminary
community center concept, which was developed from reports we studied and
interviews and site visits we conducted. The survey was publicized through the
schools, senior center, churches, newspapers, online groups, on Facebook, by word
of mouth, and bookmarks at the library, town hall, Senior Center and at several
stores in town.
s The report, The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research, can be found online at
http: / /www.nationalservice.gov /pdf /07_0506_hbr_brief pdf
November 26, 2012 Final Report 16
We were pleased to see that 1,236 people completed the survey, which is 4.1% of
the total population of 30,445. If only one person responded per household, which
we believe was generally the case, the completion percentage would be 11.1% of the
11,110 total households
A sample survey is found in the Appendix.
Survey Data
The survey had sets of multiple- choice questions; following each set was an open -
response question for written responses.
Multiple- Choice questions
The first section of the survey asked questions about four categories of activities:
• Social - 15 questions
• Physical fitness and recreation - 8 questions
• Educational - 8 questions
• Arts - 10 questions
Respondents were asked to indicate if the listed activities were:
• A good idea for a Lexington community center
• Activities they would be likely to participate in
There was overwhelming support
for the idea of having a community
center with activities, events, and
programs for all ages. More than
85% of respondents agreed or
strongly agreed that a community
center would benefit Lexington.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 17
Support From All Age Groups
Lexington would benefit from a community center
with activities,
events and programs for all ages
100
90%
80%
70%
® Disagree strongly
60% -
❑ Disagree somewhat
50% -
❑ Not sure
40%
■ Agree somewhat
30%
o Agree strongly
20%
609
10%
752
0%
Under
20 -29 30 -49 50 -69 70
20
Age Group
Responses = 1,223
No Responses - 14
Is this a good idea for the Lexinton 7-N711
Community Center? � y�
100%
80%
60%
40%
zo°i°
o c
O C y T y t
80% of respondents felt overwhelmingly
that all four categories of programs were
important to have in a Lexington
community center
A-- a
Res .....
Per Pro ram
Type
5ooal
Events
AtlrvitieJ.P
80% of respondents felt overwhelmingly
that all four categories of programs were
important to have in a Lexington
community center
A-- a
Res .....
Per Pro ram
Type
5ooal
Events
AtlrvitieJ.P
emeation
Pro ra
Arts
693
609
777ms
752
There was overwhelming support
for a community center from all
age groups. In every age group at
least 80% of respondents agreed
or strongly agreed that a
community center would benefit
Lexington.
Highly Favorable Response
For All Program Types
O ZT
W
W
Average Responses Per Program Type
Sooal
Events Rrysical
ana Fitness Faa�a<iaaat
Atlrvties Berle anon Pro ra Arta
1,117 1.126 1,193 1.19 fi
57% of respondents felt they
themselves would or might participate
in a particular program.
Note that it was clear from the written
comments that people thought teen
and senior activities were important to
have even if they themselves were not
in those age groups. This pattern, of
feeling activities were important for
the community even if the individual
responding might not participate, was
evident in the data as well.
November 26, 2012 Final Report
18
During the Task Force's
deliberation, the idea of the
community center serving as a
central location for information
and volunteerism was
suggested. This idea was tested
in the survey and almost 90% of
the respondents answered "Yes"
when asked if an
information /volunteer center
would benefit Lexington.
Open- Response Questions
Our community survey included many opportunities for respondents to submit
open responses. While these responses aren't quantifiable data, they nonetheless
reveal the opinions of more than 1,000 of Lexington's citizens.
We've organized a sampling of the responses into categories for clarity; these are
available in our Appendix. As you look through these responses you will see that
there is a richness of thought and comment, and they give a window into the
community at various stages of life. The complete set of responses is available on
our website.
The open- response question with the largest response came after this question:
"Lexington would benefit from a community center with activities,
events, and programs for all ages"
Out of 1,236 respondents to the survey, 669 chose to write their additional points of
view in the open- response section of that question. Approximately 90% of the
responses to this question were positive. The comments focus mainly about the
benefit of having a strong sense of community and building a cohesive community.
In addition, there was great enthusiasm for intergenerational opportunities as well
as for providing a place for teens. There were also strong feelings that such a center
would greatly benefit newcomers, isolated seniors, various cultures, mothers with
young children, and families. The comments' general sentiment is that a
community center would be a place to come and feel accepted, socialize and
participate in community activities.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 19
The negative responses fell into three categories: senior needs, funding, and
competition. Regarding senior needs, unfortunately, we didn't clearly state on the
survey thatseniors would have all the services that they presently have plus many
more. Therefore, some seniors felt as if they and their interests were being pushed
aside. The comments on funding were critical of increasing the tax burden for both
the initial cost of the project, and also by increasing Lexington's operating expenses.
There were a number of comments saying we should not duplicate or compete with
the programs and activities that are offered at the vital town institutions such as
Hayden Recreation Centre and Cary Library.
Demographics
Lexington's demographics are significantly different from those of the rest of the
U.S. Our population is concentrated in the youth and 40 -60 age groups; the graph
shows a pronounced dip for the 20 -35 age groups.9 Without speculating on the
cause for this distribution, the task force feels it is therefore appropriate to focus
programming on youth, teens, and older adults. The Vision 2020 Demographic
Population by Age
10.0
9.0 +Lexington
8.0 +US
c
7.0 Median Age
Ar C 6.0 US 37.2
G Lexington 45.6
5.0
7 4.0
Q
IL 3.0
2.0
1.0 Lexington Population
31,394
0.0
c� <0
4;141 0 090090 0
o,
Change Change Task Force report from 2010 is an excellent study of the patterns of
population change in Lexington.10
9 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 and 2010
10 http: / /www.lexingtonma.gov/ committees /2020 /DCTFreport3- 19- 2010.pdf
November 26, 2012 Final Report 20
Lexington's senior population is growing significantly. Census figures show that the
number of residents 60 and above grew from 7,248 in 2000 to 7,898 in 2010. In
2020 in the 60 -70 age group, most of the residents now over 70 will be replaced by
residents now between 50 and 60. Assuming no in- or out - migration, this would
give an increase of 3,223 in the over -60 group. The Massachusetts Department of
Elder Affairs projected in 2004 that the over -60 group would increase to 8,823 by
2020. This figure is probably low since their projection for total population for 2010
was 11 percent too low; a population of at least 10,000 residents who are 60 and
older now looks likely.
Census data for the 65+ group shows lower 2000 -2010 growth than for the 60+
group. 2004 Mass. Department of Elder Affairs projections11 also showed the low
growth, but projected very rapid growth that made up for it between 2010 and
2020.
Senior Population is Growing
35,000
30,000
30.355
31,394
25,000
24,400
23,107
23,496
15,000
10,000
5,000
5,767 7,248
5,851
200❑
201❑
❑ ❑ -59
23,107
23,496
■ 60 -64
1,481
2,047
■ 65+
5,767
5,851
The data also indicate situations that should concern us, such as the number of
households with children under 18 that are headed by only one parent, and the
number of households with men or women over the age of 65 who are living alone.
While the percentages might seems small (4.9% and 12.1% respectively), the
actual numbers are not ( 560 and 1,404 respectively). That is almost 2,000
households out of 11,530 where there is likely to be some sort of identifiable need.
There are certainly other things to study in the data, remembering that the numbers
represent actual people: our friends, neighbors, and colleagues.
11 Source: The Research Unit, Executive Office of Elder Affairs, based on MISER 12/2002 projections
November 26, 2012 Final Report 21
Summary of Needs
We concluded early on that a community center should be a focal point of town
activity, a significant community resource, and a source of great pride for the entire
community. Survey results support this conclusion. We also felt it should have a
combination of town- and community- sponsored activities, and it should have
spaces where people can drop by or meet casually. Our focus was intergenerational
but we have tried to pay particular attention to some of the long- standing and
vexing issues of seniors and teens.
We have neighbors who are isolated by language, poor health, family transitions,
and more. Others feel that their busy lives are placing unmanageable pressure on
themselves and their loved ones. People need the support that a community can
provide. From interviews, reviews of prior studies, and the community survey we
found needs for:
• Updated facilities for seniors
• Programs for teens
• Space of all kinds for every segment of our community
• Opportunities for collaboration among town departments
• Coordinated volunteer program to enhance wellness and community
engagement
• Better dissemination of information to the whole community
• Social and wellness needs in many groups
• Broadly felt need to encourage and develop stronger community engagement
and identity
• Informal gathering place and social programming to reduce isolation
• Improved understanding of other cultures
November 26, 2012 Final Report 22
Recommendations
Our charge was to create a concept of a community center. Through our research,
the task force created a concept of a center with coordinated and collaborative
services, a comprehensive information and volunteer capability, created and
designed for all members of the community, with long- needed space to bring us
together, with events to promote our cultures and passions, and age- targeted
programs that meet the current and future needs of our residents. We feel that this
concept can only be realized by having a central location: a building.
Programs and Services
• Move Recreation Department and Human Services Department into the
community center to share resources and expertise
• Create a centralized information and volunteer service, possibly part of the
main lobby with both digital and personal interfaces
• Encourage casual gathering and drop -in activities
• Provide interest -based activities and programs to encourage
intergenerational contact
• Add therapeutic programming to reach more members of the Lexington
community
• Encourage neighborhood- sponsored activities
Synergistic Building Concept
Rooms
Large Dhisible
Small
Counseling
Art
Computer p
Infornal���G
aS Eating and Meeting\ 60 tj
Area
0
it 0° 0p
on
ao
013 00 0 n a
Conversational Table
Seating Seatin j
s tP 01
Main Entrance
Town
Information/
Volunteer
Center
November 26, 2012
Prior to the survey, we created a
graphic representation of the
preliminary community center
concept. This is not a design we
recommend. It is presented here
to help visualize the concept and
understand the synergy of
locating the services and
activities for all ages in one place.
Final Report
23
Facilities
Based on our review of best practices in other communities, the types of programs
the facility will need to support, and the requirements of the groups who will be
served, we recommend the facility include the following elements:
• Dedicated senior and teen spaces
• Flexible rooms to accommodate from 10 up to 200 people for meetings,
exercise, and activities
• Rooms for private meetings
• Exercise room with exercise /fitness machines
• Shared office space for community organizations
• Informal area for eating and gathering, including a cafe
• Commercial kitchen12
• Arts and crafts space with sink and uncarpeted floors
• A stage for peer performances and smaller performance events
• Accessible throughout
• WiFi available in the building
• Auditorium or access to a nearby auditorium or plan to add one
• Full size gym or enough room to include one
• Ample parking
• Easy access either through proximity to the town center or being located on
all public transportation routes
• Adequate storage space for community center activities and other town
recreation activities
• Outdoor space for programming
12 A commercial kitchen is required to meet Board of Health requirements for serving food to the public. Food
that is cooked from scratch on -site is much more appealing and encourages greater participation.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 24
Implementation
To bring the center to fruition including initial programming and building design,
we recommend that the following steps be taken:
• Appoint a follow -on task force to develop the next steps of this process.
• Appoint an advisory board for the community center consisting of:
■ Municipal employees such as Human Services, Recreation, and Police
■ Representatives from the community such as Hayden Recreation
Centre, Munroe Center for the Arts, Lexington Interfaith Council, and
Cary Library
• Appoint an architect to finalize building requirements and prepare a design
plan
Conclusion
For more than twenty years, Lexington has sought to identify an appropriate site for
an improved senior center that can deliver diverse programming to an increasing
and changing senior population. As Lexington continues to grow and change, we
must ensure that we are serving the needs of community members of all ages so that
Lexington remains a vibrant, caring, inclusive community for all.
The need for a safe place for teens to gather in Lexington is as pressing now as it
was in 2003. The problems of substance abuse, depression, stress, and alienation
identified in the Belfry Center report have not disappeared. "The creation of a
gathering place where teens have a sense of ownership and involvement will enrich
the lives of our teens and our entire community."
We believe that a community
center would augment the already
excellent resources that Lexington
offers, and would immeasurably
enrich the lives of its citizens.
A Community Center for Lexington is
a concept whose time has come.
November 26, 2012 Final Report 25
Appendix
A. Charge of the Community Center Task Force
B. Site Visit Report: North Andover Youth Center
C. Site Visit Report: Weston Community Center
D. Site Visit Report: Harwich Community Center
E. Community Facility Comparisons
F. Sample Community Survey
G. Survey Response Summary
H. Executive Office of Elder Affairs Projections
1. Census Data
November 26, 2012 Final Report 26
APPENDIX
COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE
Members: 7 -9
Appointed by: Selectmen
Length of Term: 10 months
Appointments Made:
Meeting Times:
Description: The Task Force is charged with developing a report about the concept of a
community center, including recommendations, to serve the intellectual, physical, and social
needs of Seniors, other adults, teens and youth in our community.
Specifically the Task Force will:
• explore other Towns' approaches to providing these services in an effort to determine best
practices
• Confirm the stakeholders
• Identify the services they need
• Determine how the services get delivered
In pursuit of these duties and responsibilities, the Task Force shall:
• Work with Town Departments, Boards, and Committees
• Conduct outreach to identify stakeholder needs
Committee Time -Line and Phases:
Gather Data
Analyze Data
Write Report
May -August
September - November
December - February
Criteria for Membership: For its members and liaisons the Task Force will draw from such
groups as the Board of Selectmen, Council on Aging, Friends of the Council on Aging,
Recreation Department, School Committee, and Human Services Committee, as well as other
interested parties such as LexSA, and LexFUN, and others who have experience in creating
community programs.
Prior to serving as a member of this Committee, appointees are required to:
1. Acknowledge receipt of the Summary of the Conflict of Interest Statute. Further, to
continue to serve on the Task Force the member must acknowledge annually receipt of
the Summary of the Conflict of Interest Statute. Said summary will be provided by and
acknowledged to the Town Clerk.
2. Provide evidence to the Town Clerk that the appointee has completed the on -line training
requirement required by the Conflict of Interest statute.
Ref.: Charge Adopted by the Board of Selectmen on May 2, 2011.
Selectmen designated members as Special Municipal Employees on May 16, 2011.
Members appointed by Selectmen on May 16, 2011
APPENDIX B
Site Visit
Community Center Task Force
Visit Date: August 10,2011
Members in Betty Borghesani,
Attendance: Laura Hussong
Web site for Youth Center:
Exterior Tour
Site Visited North Andover Youth
Center
33 Johnson St.,
N. Andover
People Visited: Rick Gorman, Executive
Director
http: / /www.nayouth.com /joseph -n.- hermann - youth- center.htmi
We began our visit with a tour outside. The building itself consists of what looks like a brown
barn connected to a white farmhouse, and contains 18,000 sq. ft. of program space, built on four
acres of land (Betty do you remember the story of the land acquisition ?) is in what has become
the center of town. It is within walking distance of the middle school and three elementary
schools, but it is about a mile to the high school. The town runs and pays for a shuttle bus five
days per week that goes to and from schools /library/Youth Center/YMCA from 2 -6pm.
Middle schoolers come every day, as if it is their club. High schoolers come for a particular
purpose, such as weight lifting or leadership. Friday is the biggest use day; staff think every
middle schooler comes to hang out until 6pm typically. Two Fridays each month there is a
middle school dance, and the kids will be there until 9pm.
The grounds are lovely, built into a hill and having a basketball court with lights, a supervised
skate park, beach volleyball, and a town -owned children's public playground that the Center
helps to maintain. There are bathrooms outside and accessible. The basketball courts and skate
park cost $25,000 to build and were donated by a local contractor. Money for the lights came
from CPA funds, but that would no longer be an acceptable use of CPA money since the laws
have changed.
Cost to build
The building cost $2.5 million to build in 2000, and an additional $250,000 to outfit with
computers, weight room, furniture etc. Of that total, $975,000 came from the town. The town
defeated two debt exclusions before they passed it on the third try.
APPENDIX B
Site Visit
Community Center Task Force
In 1988 Rick ran the Youth Services Department. He had a vision for a youth center, and spent
seven years raising money.
The current town financial contribution to the operating budget is to cover the cost of full time
staff, heat and electricity for the building. This comes to $275,000 right now.
Employees
During the summer there are 113 paid employees. From September to May, there are 32 high
school aged employees working between 6 and 26 hours per week. They give kids in North
Andover jobs!
Interior Tour — First Floor
Building tour: Reception area checks in members (you must be a member to just hang out).
Events are open to members and non - members alike, with members paying a higher fee. Every
room has surveillance cameras on 24 hours / day. Members check in with their bar code fob, so
the Center know when every kid arrives, though not when he /she leaves. The reception area is
the only one where they can have food. There is a kitchen, and they hold cooking classes, and a
small sales operation that the high school kids run called "Grandstand ". This is very popular
with everyone, and it functions as a paying job for the HS kids. There are also two vending
machines. Pepsi has a contract and so there are sugary sodas for sale. The other machine sells
things like chips. It's not ideal, but through that relationship Pepsi has paid for backstops and
other gym equipment. On this same floor there is a game room that should be bigger, and is
being renovated right now. Continuing on this floor we pass the restrooms, right across from the
beautiful gym. They decided not to put lockers and showers in these bathrooms because kids
don't like to shower in front of each other at this age, but the bathroom stalls are big enough for
them to change into their gym clothes.
The weight /fitness room is always supervised. There are 4 -5 HS kids whose job is this
supervision. It is open to kids 14 and over, so 8th grade and up.
The gym is inside the barn building. The inner wall is all glass, and allows complete
supervision of activities in it. There is a climbing wall at one end (Cost: $12,000). They play
volleyball and basketball, have dances and the annual fund raiser. For dances, they have carpets
that are rolled out to protect the wood floors. Carpets are inspected annually. There is no air
conditioning in the gym, though the big barn doors at either end can open up. The rest of the
facility is air conditioned.
APPENDIX B
Site Visit
Community Center Task Force
Interior Tour: Second Floor
There are 4 offices on the upper level, and a conference room for private meetings or groups.
There is a lounge area with couches and beanbag chairs and a big screen tv. There is also a table
with chairs in the back of that space, originally for tutoring /homework, but they find that kids
don't come there to do their homework. They are reevaluating this space. The lounge overlooks
the basketball court.
There is a supervised computer room that has brand new XBox /Playstation equipment. There
are 3 gaming units and 10 computers for doing homework. The computer use rules are: no
facebook, twitter, email. Gaming or homework are the only permissible activities; infractions
get a kid banned from the room, so they don't happen often.
Employee liason to schools
There is a FT employee (Michelle) who does informal counseling with MS girls. She works very
closely with the schools, and next year will spend 75% of her time in the schools. She is a liason
to town counseling services. Rick described a "triangle effort" of the Chief of Police, Rick and
the Superintendent of Schools.
The last room is a "multi- purpose" room with a wood floor and mirrors. There is a Wii and they
have zoomba classes and sometimes a band for a dance. This room is sometimes rented out
because of its versatility.
Rick notes that "kids are fickle" and change their minds a lot about what they want to do. He
and his staff meet with them and let them come up with programs they would like.
There are 3300 kids serviced winter and summer. In the summer there are 700 kids in the
summer program for grades 1 -5.
There are 1100 kids who come as non - members, even when it would be cheaper for them to
join!
The population of North Andover is 30,000 with about 4,500 — 5,000 kids. Rick was a DSS social
worker in 1988, but then there were two 7t" grade suicides in 1998. He started working with
school guidance counselors, and he wanted to do more outreach. In 1988 all the youth
programs were spread out all over town in 19 different buildings. Now all programs are in only
3 buildings, and more kids are attending. Many kids attend on an everyday basis because they
think of the Center as their home.
APPENDIX B
Site Visit
Community Center Task Force
Other
The town of North Andover provides basic custodial services daily, but the Center staff keep it
clean themselves. All program staff (and these are often high school students) are expected to
clean up after their programs by vacuuming and dusting. Everyone takes pride in the building,
and they feel it is their job to keep it clean.
There are two major non - profit institutions in North Andover that contribute directly to the
well being of the town. Merrimack College bought a bus for the town, and Brooks School
donates ice time and bought a police cruiser. They are also contributors to the Center.
The Center meets regularly with other service providers in town. There is a YMCA, but they
don't provide adolescent services, and so do not overlap with the Center. There is a
commitment to collaboration that Rick says keeps the relationship productive. For instance,
the Y recently held a youth 3 -on -3 basketball tournament.
Rick recommends that we talk to Bill Fahey, the director of Youth Services in Andover, about
youth programming.
Other uses of space
The Center is closed on Sundays, and it is often rented out for basketball tournaments in the
gym. From October through April mornings, there is a free walking club for seniors in the gym.
For adults, there are morning women's fitness and yoga classes in the multipurpose room.
APPENDIX C
Center visited: Weston Community Center
Date: July 22, 2011
Contact: Eileen Bogle
Other: The Weston COA Director was Marilyn Campbell
at the time of founding. She is now Acting Chair of
Lexington's COA. Weston's Town Manager was
Carl Valente, now our Town Manager
• Financial/Administrative:
0 2/3 recreation fee supported
0 1/3 COA revolving fund supported
• Spaces
• Site: Town has campus including Community Center, Town Hall, School
Administration, Library, Elementary Schools, Outdoor Swimming pool.
Middle and High Schools have indoor pool.
• Layout: Three floors, seniors primarily on lowest level
• Ground floor: COA desk and office space; Large dividable room and
small room, partially below grade; Large arts and craft room and small
kitchen (walkout); very small entrance /gathering areas
• 1St Floor: Very large great room with high ceiling, Un- certified Kitchen,
Recreation Department Offices.
• Third floor: Three classrooms
• Services:
• COA
• Classes: Exercise (Sr.), art, cooking, knitting; computer; bridge
• Trips
• Various discussion groups
• Movies
• Exercise with weights, etc. no fixed equipment
• Recreation
• Classes for youth and adults (no teens)
• Pool: No
• Tennis: No
• Other: None
• Office Space: Human Services (4 FTE) and Recreation. Directors report to Town
manager
■ User Groups: Seniors, pre - school and elementary school
■ Non - Users: Teens
■ Inter -Group Friction: Many time conflicts result with COA feeling they lack
priority due to lower funding. Having uncontrolled access raises concerns for
safety of children and having children leaving back packs and books around raises
safety concerns for seniors. But Bogle says it is (can be ?) made to work.
APPENDIX C
■ Group Separation: Some of Ground floor space largely dedicated to seniors.
Otherwise, space is shared.
■ Fee structure: Many offerings have fees. In general, recreation fees much higher
than senior fees. Recreation offers a badge fee entitling holders to discount on
courses. Some scholarships.
■ Food: No meals (Town has Meals on Wheels).
■ Transportation: Busing around site, needy seniors can get Taxi coupons, van
under consideration
■ Statistics
• Population: 11,580
• Senior population: 2476 (60 +)
• School population: 2315
• Hours of use: Heavy — 9:00 Am to 1:30 PM, Moderate — 2:00 to 3:30,
Light 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Have some evening and weekend programs.
• Location: 20 Alphabet Lane, Weston, MA 02493
• Size: 10,000 square feet?
• Annual budget: Not available
• Replacement cost: Unknown
• Original cost: $3 M, 1/3 donation & 2/3 debt exclusion?
• Year built: 2001
APPENDIX D
HARWICH COMMUNITY CENTER
100 Oak Street, Harwich MA 02645 508 - 430 -7085
Executive Director —Carolyn Carey
Submitted by Florence Koplow
It is difficult to know where to begin when describing the Harwich Community Center because it
seems to be the hub of the Town of Harwich and the activities expand to meet the needs and
the imagination of what the town might like to do.
When I asked the Exec. Director, Carolyn Carey "what does the community center do for the
town of Harwich." She said, "All you need is to see one Halloween party to answer that
question. The center not only brings all ages and groups together but also people who are not
connected have been brought together. It's caring, it's family, it's home"
She summed it up when she described The Community Center as "the family room" of the
town of Harwich.
According to the 2010 Town of Harwich Annual Report - the usage of the Community Center
had an average over 9,000 people a month.
WHO USES COMMUNITY CENTER:
The Center is a fluid environment with use by seniors, adults, school age, infants and toddlers. It
is the meeting place for 40 -60 private and town clubs, groups and committees. It houses the
Senior Center, The Recreation and Youth Department, the local T.V. channel and Emergency
Management of the town. In the summer it is the location to purchase beach and dump
stickers.
According to the Exec. Director the center could serve ages birth to 100. Harwich residents can
reserve spaces for social, educational, hobby, civic, cultural and community service groups.
Senior Center: Has full, varied and timely programming, extensive transportation services,
extensive day trip experiences, social sitting area, financial education and advice, available
counseling, supper club — mostly for widows and widowers, lunch 3 days a week - $2.00
donation. And there is a nurse in the building 1 day a week.
Adults, school age, infant and toddler's attendance very high, but it's the H.S. teen attendance
that is low. That is the area they are still working on. Very difficult to attract that group. They do
come when there are dances.
APPENDIX D
DESCRIPTION OF SPACE and PROGRAMS:
ROOMS:
5 meeting rooms which are in frequent use. Four rooms can accommodate 15 -to 40 people.
These rooms can be divided into halves or quarters, depending on the need. Janitors have 15
minutes between uses and often, because of heavy use, they have to reset the rooms in less
time. Each room has a sink, a counter for serving and a white board. Note: The custodial Staff
consists of 2 full time and 2 part time employees, paid by the highway dept.
Activity rooms are utilized for fitness classes, yoga, gardening, Cape Cod Volunteers office,
business network, investment clubs, bridge, cribbage and mah jongg, handcraft circles,
Harwich's summer playground program and group meetings of all kinds.
2 conference rooms for small meetings of 10 people or less or be used for private one on one
meetings with counselors and/ financial discussions.
1 multi - purpose room — 2,011 sq. feet. This room is used for everything from assemblies to
congregate meal sites, exercise classes, yard sales, fashion shows, practice space for the Cape
Community orchestra and the Harwich town band, check -ins for town meeting, blood drives, flu
clinics, just to name a few. The room comes with a stage and has a full service kitchen adjacent
to it. This room can be divided into 3 separate rooms by a folding door system permanently
affixed to the room. In addition to the stage, this is the only room that has a permanent screen
used for movies.
Gym: 7,623 sq ft. The gym is the most utilized room in the Community /center. The capacity is
listed as 1, 167. It is used for recreational events such as volley ball, basketball, tennis, after
school programs, summer day camp activities, elections, town meetings and special events for
the town of Harwich.
Fitness Room: Available to residents 19 years and older. Ages 16 -18 require a permission slip
signed by parent or legal guardian. Hours of operation are 6:30 A.M. — 8:00 P.M. Mon. -Fri., 9
A.M. - 4:OOP.M Sat, and closed Sundays. This is a very heavily used space. Fees - $150. Per year,
reduced amounts if used by the day, week or month.
Play room: Used 4 mornings by "Massachusetts Family Network, Harwich community
partnership for early childhood programs and 1 morning for the town nurse. Room can be
scheduled for children's play groups provided parents are present.
APPENDIX D
Game room: It is a multi - generational space. There is ping -pong, WEEI, air hockey, shuffle
board, X ball. It is opened from 8:30 A.M. — 6:00 P.M.
Basement: 17,000 sq. feet of open space and high ceiling. It is used as a storage space. The
long term goal is to utilize some of the space to expand the weight room, have yoga and other
classes. When the building was built the original plan called for a pool. It was voted down
because of the expense but they did include all the necessary plumbing if ever the pool was
reconsidered.
THE BUILDING:
The Center is 32,000 sq. feet. The building is well laid out. It is attractive, warm and inviting.
Wi Fi is available throughout the building. There is excellent Information circulation — Notices
are posted outside three entrances plus a Lobby bulletin board and community bulletin board
near gym.
It opened in 2000 for a cost of $5 million. The concept was supported by the community and
was town funded. The annual budget is just over $2 million. It is not a controversial item in
the budget. The Executive Director submits a report to the town administrator.
There is no membership fee.
RAISING FUNDS:
According to the Annual town report. The Center is very mindful of financial constraints at this
time. They have proposed to the Selectman: raising the rates for the rooms, and also instituting
a plan to raise funds by offering Room Sponsorship to businesses or organizations for a 3 year
period. As a sponsor they can advertise their business and their position as a community
benefactor with a small sign. Sponsorships are also available to individuals and families. In
addition they will Investigate grants and other fund raising sources for eligible programs and
evaluate all current operations for maximum efficiency.
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APPENDIX F
The Board of Selectmen formed a task force to determine how residents feel about having a community center in
Lexington that would serve the intellectual, physical, and social needs of seniors, other adults, teens, and youth in our
community.
Please take the survey and tell us what you think, what you want, and whether you think a community center would bring)
value to our community.
� WIN
Q
Community 'ntr Concept
Families4
Seniors
Teens
Toddlers
Singles
Disabled
• ComputerlTechnology lab
• Gymnasium
• Art space
• Exercise/dance space
• Space for community organizations
• Casual seatingli ieeting areas
• Snack liar for meeting and relaxing
• Auditorium /pherf- ormance space
• Information /volunteer center
• kitchen
• Meeting spaces
Page 1
Community Center - Survey
Isocial Events and Activities
For each social activity below, please indicate:
1. Is this a good idea for the Lexington Community Center?
Yes
No
Family activities
O
O
Teen Friday night events
O
O
Teen drop -in center
O
O
Toddler drop -in /programs
O
O
Community cafe
O
O
Newcomer events
O
O
After school /vacation activities
O
O
Game night
O
O
International Festival
O
O
Chess, bridge
O
O
Knitting
O
O
Book Clubs
O
O
Community special events and celebrations
O
O
Support groups (parenting, illness, grief, etc.)
O
O
Supper clubs
O
O
Page 2
Community Center - Survey
2. Would you be likely to participate?
Yes No Maybe
Family activities O O O
Teen Friday night events O O O
Teen drop -in center O O O
Toddler drop -in /programs O O O
Community cafe O O O
Newcomer events O O O
After school /vacation activities O O O
Game night O O O
International Festival O O O
Chess, bridge O O O
Knitting O O O
Book Clubs O O O
Community special events and celebrations O O O
Support groups (parenting, illness, grief, etc.) O O O
Supper clubs O O O
3. What other social activities would you like to see included?
Page 3
For each physical fitness /recreation activity below, please indicate:
4. Is this a good idea for the Lexington Community Center?
Indoor track walking /jogging
Yes
O
No
O
Fitness /exercise room
O
O
Senior exercise groups
O
O
Table tennis
O
O
Tai Chi /yoga /pilates
O
O
Hiking /biking clubs
O
O
Drop -in basketball /gym
O
O
Fitness boot camp
O
O
5. Would you be likely to participate?
Indoor track walking /jogging
Yes
O
No
O
Maybe
O
Fitness /exercise room
O
O
O
Senior exercise groups
O
O
O
Table tennis
O
O
O
Tai Chi /yoga /pilates
O
O
O
Hiking /biking clubs
O
O
O
Drop -in basketball /gym
O
O
O
Fitness boot camp
O
O
O
6. What other physical fitness /recreation activities would you like to see included?
Page 4
For each educational program below, please indicate:
7. Is this a good idea for the Lexington Community Center?
New parent programs
Yes
O
No
O
Computer workshops
O
O
Digital editing workshops (music, art, video)
O
O
Topical discussion groups
O
O
Wellness fair
O
O
Cooking classes
O
O
Genealogy workshop
O
O
Veterans programs
O
O
8. Would you be likely to participate?
New parent programs
Yes
O
No
O
Maybe
O
Computer workshops
O
O
O
Digital editing workshops (music, art, video)
O
O
O
Topical discussion groups
O
O
O
Wellness fair
O
O
O
Cooking classes
O
O
O
Genealogy workshop
O
O
O
Veterans programs
O
O
O
9. What other educational programs would you like to see included?
Page 5
For each arts program below, please indicate:
10. Is this a good idea for the Lexington Community Center?
Movies
Yes
O
No
O
Poetry Slam
O
O
Writers' groups
O
O
Dramatic performances
O
O
Battle of the Bands
O
O
Open microphone night
O
O
Music jam sessions
O
O
Children's theater /puppet events
O
O
Arts and crafts
O
O
Dance
O
O
11. Would you be likely to participate?
Movies
Yes
O
No
O
Maybe
O
Poetry Slam
O
O
O
Writers' groups
O
O
O
Dramatic performances
O
O
O
Battle of the Bands
O
O
O
Open microphone night
O
O
O
Music jam sessions
O
O
O
Children's theater /puppet events
O
O
O
Arts and crafts
O
O
O
Dance
O
O
O
12. What other art programs would you like to see included?
Page 6
Located at the community center would be a resource hub that would provide citizens with the following types of
information:
i
• When / here to rote
• School events calendar
• Volunteer services and opportunities
f Public events
* Recreation calendar
* Trash pick -up schedule
Etc.
13. Lexington would benefit from a centralized information /volunteer center.
O Yes
O No
Page 7
14. Lexington would benefit from a community center with activities, events, and programs
for all ages.
OAgree strongly
OAgree somewhat
ONot sure
ODisagree somewhat
ODisagree strongly
Can you tell us why you feel that way?
J
15. What additional activities /programs and services would you like to have in Lexington
that we currently don't have?
16. Do you have any additional thoughts about a Lexington community center?
17. Please indicate your age category:
OUnder20
O 20-29
O 30-49
O 50-69
O 70+
Page 8
18. Please indicate your gender.
O Male
OFemale
19. Are there children under 20 living in your household?
O Yes
O No
20. Do you live in Lexington?
O Yes
O No
21. For seniors only - How often do you use the current senior center?
O Daily
OWeekly
OSeveral times /week
OMonthly
ORarely
O Never
22. If you would like, please leave your email address. It will not be shared.
If you are satisfied with your responses, please click "Done" to submit your survey. Note that once you do this you will not be able to re -enter the
survey to change your answers.
Thank you for your time and interest.
Page 9
APPENDIX G
"Lexington would benefit from a community center with activities, events, and programs for
all ages."
POSITIVE RESPONSES:
1. STRENGTH SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND FAMILIES:
a. So much communication is done remotely these days; the community will be
more vibrant and cohesive if we are given more opportunities to come together
for educational and recreational activities. Also, the more familiar we are with
each other the more quickly we can recognize when another is in need of
support.
b. Anything to bring a community together is a great idea. A safe place for teens is
also important. Nice for seniors to have additional places to meet. A built -in
dedicated venue for a large variety of programs and event would be great. I can't
waitM!
c. We need a place where the whole family can do activities and socialize -
sometimes together, sometimes not. Hayden is wonderful, but it's geared only
towards kids.
d. We are a big family( Lexington) and should be closer
e. It gives families a chance to know each other — I'm a Black single female with
children that would love to meet other people.
f. It would benefit all residents, mostly those who cannot afford to join programs
due to limited income. Also, it would greatly benefit people who do not have
much or any support systems in their everyday life.
g. Lexington is a diverse community that changes a little bit every year and I think
we can all benefit from seeing and learning about how each of us does our own
thing -at all ages, young and young at heart!
h. In today's world with so many scheduled activities, we often don't have time to
get to know the people right around us in Lexington. This is an opportunity to
build community in this amazing town.
i. We moved here from Seattle, a town with very active community centers. We
spent lot of time at the community center with our young children and thought it
was a great resource.
j. I attended regularly a community center in Tokyo when we lived there and really
enjoyed it.
k. There are a lot of lonely, isolated people, especially teens and seniors in this
town.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
I. There is no place to actually go to meet other residents with shared interests.
Even though we are part of the public school community, it is hard to find friends
in the community.
m. Lexington is a vibrant community with active individuals of all ages. A community
center, offering a variety of programs and events, would serve as a valuable
resource to engage Lexington residents including myself, my wife, her parents
and our young children.
n. The seniors in town really need a large, more inviting space for their activities.
When my kids where toddlers I would have loved to have had community center
activities where I could meet other parents in the town while the kids played.
o. It would create a stronger community bond. I grew up in a community with a
community center and it was the most cohesive community I've ever lived in.
p. I have lived in communities with a community center before and it becomes a
hub for the community for information, social events and recreation for all ages.
q. I've lived in other states where this was "the norm" and was great for the
community.
r. An intellectually vibrant town such as Lexington needs a place where members
of the community can gather to exchange ideas, meet new people, and most
especially have fun. Children, adolescents, adults and seniors should have a safe
and welcoming place to engage with others.
s. Would bring the town together and would offer much needed services for
people who don't have this in town easily accessible. It would also give us a
place to be able to contribute energy and creativity.
t. Great way to bring the community together in away that happens now only in
very isolated events. You've suggested a wonderful set of potential activities.
u. This would be so great for LexingtonM It would provide more options for
activities, fitness, etc. And would really encourage people to get involved with
and feel like a part of the community
v. Communities are made strong through activities that bring people together. The
more opportunities for togetherness in different ways — stronger community.
w. It is critical to a sense of belonging and community, especially in cold climates
where people cannot easily congregate outside for a good part of the year, to
have a place to go that is, always available, to share community. Our current
community is WAY TOO ISOLATING! It is also critical for teens to have a safe
place to gather — we should have had this years ago.
x. Hayden does a great job to a point, but participation falls off in the teen /high
school years and we have a growing senior community that could teach kids all
that they have learned.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
y. Increasingly, making personal face -to -face connections are important.
z. It will further build our sense of community even more and help elders and new
comers a place to go and be social.
aa. I have resided in Lexington for 20+ years; I have a second grader at Fiske and
have only started enjoying this town since the school experience began in K. It
would be nice for people of all ages and interests to be able to participate
together regardless of whether children are in school.
bb. Lexington is deficient in community outside schools.
cc. As a soon to be empty- nester, I feel that once your kids are no longer in school,
the number of people you know in town diminishes. I'd like to meet others in
my situation and generally forge more ties with the community.
dd. Lexington is full of newcomers of all ages and cultures. We don't tap into this
enough. It's a real missed opportunity.
ee. If people could get together and integrate maybe everyone would be able to get
along with each other and not look down on each other. It would be good for a
family to go there and no one would be bored because there would be
something for everyone which would encourage many different people to go.
ff. People need a place to connect and feel a part of the community — especially
elders and those with young children. A safe place for teens to hang out and
structure their time is also a benefit.
gg. Help new comers fit into the community. We just moved into Lexington last year
and I don't know the existence of the community center until right now. Bring
people together. Helps people feel they're part of the community of Lexington.
hh. Lexington is lacking in a space for all ages and purposes. We need a greater
sense of community and a space for teens to actually want to hang out, as well
as resources to develop children into young adults who have creative minds and
passions. The elderly need spaces for activities too and Lexington as a whole
would become more connected and healthy as a whole. There would be more
connections and face to face development as a town instead of just houses
situated in the same zoning departments who rarely interact with their
neighbors, Lexington would become a place where residents knew, bonded with
and cared for their neighbors.
ii. I think it's a great way of strengthening the community and helping people feel
more connected to one another. I think a tightly knit community is a healthier
community — people end up caring about each other more and, therefore, end
up taking better care of one another
jj. It strengthens a community when all age groups can participate if not the same
activities but in the same place.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
kk. It would be a way to bring Lexingtonias together on a regular basis. It would
provide a space for additional activities /gathering of adults, teens, families and
kids which is currently lacking in the town.
II. Enables people to make new friends
mm. Because there are currently very few activities for adults.
nn. I feel it would add value to the community and help people meet and connect.
2. CENTRALIZED CENTER:
a. The town needs a centralized all- inclusive center that offers a diversity of
activities, options for its citizens. Individuals who are coming to this center for
one activity would be surrounded by a diversity of activity options that are going
on simultaneously. Seeing new activities might pique their interest to reach out
and try something new and meet a different social group.
b. I've thought about something like this for years- since my children were small
and I wanted to find other mom's with children the same age. Now I work with
the elderly and this would be a good place for them to go and interact with all
ages.
c. A physical facility is needed to host a variety of community activities like those in
this survey. I am especially interested in having our adolescents have a safe
place to congregate other than outside in the center of Lexington. I also think
seniors deserve better than what they currently have. There's opportunity to
make this a centralized service across all age groups.
d. I think it would be great to have a central location in the community for all the
events mentioned. As a parent of young children and a LexFUN board member,
it would be really helpful to have a hub /home for activities and events, rather
than relying on various locations throughout town to lend us their space.
e. I see such a center would draw all ages to one central, non - threatening location.
I want to meet more Lexingtonians of all ages. There is much available for
younger kids, yet very little once they reach middle school and nothing for the
parent and elder. We definitely need a community center.
f. Lexington is short on gathering space for midsized groups as evidenced by the
popularity of the meeting room in the Library. Lexington also needs more
options for teens and seniors and a multi - generational gathering space would be
gr eat.
g. I would love to seethe center fill the void for seniors, teens and working /single
parents. These groups are often less able to afford the private gyms, activities
and classes that currently dominate what is available.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
h. Many kids need place to hangout. So do many seniors. A community center
would ease the turf wars and give residents of all ages a chance to rub shoulders.
And there are no end of interesting activities that might be more accessible if we
had an appropriate venue for them.
i. As a relative newcomer, I found it very difficult to integrate into the town. Even
signing kids up for recreation activities is challenging — sorting through what
Hayden has, what the rec. department has, what is available at private places.
Even having somewhere with a central "help desk' that you could call to ask
anything about town would be great. Having a common space to meet other
residents and participate in joint acidities would be welcome.
j. The existing options are inadequate or non - existent. The Senior Center is lovely,
but hours, offerings and space are inadequate. The teens in our community
would greatly benefit from a central place to hang out, connect with other teens,
but also be involved in something. Hanging out in Center is not a great option.
And I'm sure young families would benefit from the connection fo attending a
parenting class, drop in play space, arts and crafts, etc. The current proposal
also has the benefit of centralizing not only town - related information, but it
gathers multi - generations under one roof. — a sort of centralizing of human
resources. It would be a wonderful asset to this town. Thanks for working on it!
k. Rather than having groups competing (seniors, teens, kids, families) for scarce
resources to build a center to meet their own needs, pool the resources and
develop- or renovate — a facility to meet all of the needs.
I. A place for elderly to keep them active and engaged and a supervised
environment to keep teens safe and busy is important to the community. As a
new comer to Lexington I wish there was one when we moved in to make
integration into the community easier and also give us a place to start. Also, it is
extremely hard in MA to find out about volunteering opportunities. Having a
centralized place to know what opportunities are there in Lexington or other
areas will be a great way to help
m. Currently the options for gym facilities in town are limited and expensive. We
were new to town four years ago. And it can be really hard to figure out how to
get involved in the community. A centralized community center would have
been very helpful. Also, after school programs in town are very limited for 6 -9t"
graders and I would like to see more supervised options.
n. Would give value to the town for all ages, especially a place for seniors and teens
to go and hang out and for newcomers to meet neighbors.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
o. There is no central meeting area in town that offers all that you propose for this
community center. I think it would make a HUGE difference in creating a
stronger sense of community for young and old.
p. Brings together the diversity of our community: a place to gather for all.
q. Nice to have a central location that people can go instead of having to search on
line and asking around. I value the idea of bringing all members of our diverse
community together in one venue.
r. Especially in the winter months, we need a HUB that brings people in contact
with one another. And as our children graduate and are no longer part of the
school system, there is much less opportunity for socializing within the
community. While in school, the numerous school and sports activities bring
adults together in the community, but there are significantly few opportunities
to engage in common interests and social activities once they graduate.
s. It's about time, with such long winters this is a must!
t. I like the idea of community center. My son could have a place to meet friends
with things they could do there. I would attend a class and possibly teach one. It
would enrich the quality of life here. As we get older, there would be a place for
a meaningful senior experience too. All excellent — I highly support this idea.
u. There is no place to gather in Lexington. Hayden is not always accessible and the
hours are very limited.
v. Hayden and the library are at capacity and we need more space and
programming to meet the needs of the community.. The community could also
benefit from a place where intergenerational socializing could take place.
w. There is really not "one stop shopping" here in Lexington. There is Hayden, town
rec. senior center, but they are all separate entities. It just would be GREAT for a
place that is open for kids to hang out on the weekends and find other kids to
hang out with.
x. It creates a town focus that increases the level of interaction between town
citizens and increases the probability of chance discoveries that can strengthen
the sense of community.
y. Given a centralized point to find a variety of activities will open up a sense of
community and encourage more communtnity participation in such programs.
Currently many things are so decentralized. It is either by luck or hard looking to
find such groups to join in many cases (i.e.: book groups, supper club etc). One
thing I would look at however is what is the community center /Hayden's
relationship- as some offerings may be redundant to what Hayden offers.
z. The Hayden Rec. Center is great but a community center would fill gaps that
Hayden doesn't meet.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
aa. I lived in Weston for many years. The community center served as a bonding
agent for many of the residents. Hayden simply doesn't work for the vast
majority.
bb. We should have a center that is more than a virtual where people can gather.
cc. This is such a great idea — nice to have a centralized place to go for teens and
adults.
dd. It would be nice to have a center for programming for all ages, rather than just
programs that are run through the schools.
ee. Help bring up kids. Make people's life interesting with so many activities. Make
people proud of Lexington more. Give people another access to multiple
education, information sharing etc.
3. SENIOR ISSUES:
a. It would provide essential services. Speaking from my vantage point as senior
citizen, I think the inclusive intergenerational approach is spot on.
b. We need to improve the setting of the senior setting and expand its acitivities.
It's invaluable to have the generations get together. I can imagine a real hub of
information and mingling.
c. Senior daycare
d. Services for seniors are much inferior to surrounding communities, such as
Bedford and Concord. Current services are fragmented.
e. Seniors need a safe indoor place to exercise and meet.
f. The current senior center is inadequate and it is wonderful to mix all age groups.
g. Let's face it — for decades there has been a series of fruitless studies and
committees for a Senior Center like other towns. Ain't goinna happen in my
lifetime. So let's make it an all -age thing if that's what it takes to finally get
something done.
h. For the past two years, I've been going to the Waltham Senir Center for exercise
classes: I shouln't have to. More broadly: it would enhance the town and give
teens something wholesome to do.
i. Would not be pitting one age group against another as we are now when we are
lobbying for a larger senior center. More realistic to think we could get funding
for an all ages community center.
j. It builds community. The elderly and the younger families seem to be in conflict
with each other. A community center will help towards bringing all ages
together.
k. It would fill a need for recreational activity for seniors and others. It would also
bring residents into more contact with each other, something that is difficult to
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
do in suburban communities where everything depends on automobile
transportation, it would enricht he quality of life here. As we get older, there
would be a place for a meaningful senior experience too. All excellent — I highly
support this idea.
I. It would be helpful to have an indoor /outdoor place to informally gather and it
would encourage all people to participate.
m. WE NEED A GOOD CENTER THAT APPEALS TO SENIORS as well as to everybody
else.
n. Seniors are too isolated.
o. The more community programming the better for everyone. especially seniors.
p. Seniors need a place to congregate and get the support they need and teens
need a safe, fun place to go. It helps so many people.
q. As a near senior who has lived in Lexington for over 30 years, I would like to see
more than what the existing Lexington senior center offers.
r. Seniors need a place to congregate, have exercise class and get the support they
need. All family members can benefit from such a space too.
s. I'm a senior who neither looks nor acts his age and enjoys interacting with folks
of all ages; I think many other Lexington seniors would agree. In addition, a
Center -for —all is more likely to gamer the greatest town -wide support (financial
and other wise) necessary to make this happen.
t. It would provide essential services. Speaking from my vantage point as a senior
citizen, I think the inclusive intergenerational approach is spot on.
4. SCHOOLAGE /TEEN:
a. I was part of the group that tried to develop a Teen Center on Forest St. a few
years ago, before the recession hit and I am aware of the large unmet need that
was expressed at that time. Teens, especially are often treated like we want
them, as a group, to succeed, but we don't really want to see them in town!
Hayden is becoming less and less a place for everyone in town and more a place
for specific athletes.
b. A community center would benefit both adolescents (like me) by getting them
involved in sports, music and games activities. Adults and seniors would also
benefit from support groups and book clubs.
c. I think there is currently no gathering place for school age children to meet with
their age groups to socialize in casual surroundings.
d. We need a place for us kids to just chill out, kind of like a Boys and Girls club
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
e. The older kids /teens need somewhere to go and programs targeted to them. The
winter is long and young kids need a free space to get energy out. Also need
summer programs that are not a weeklong camp.
f. We need a place for teens to go and hang out in the evenings, on weekends and
sometimes after school. Other age groups would benefit from the center too.
g. I have teenagers and I forbid them to hang around the downtown area without
having a purpose to be there. There are not enough activities to keep the young
adults engaged. I am a single mom and cannot afford to constantly pay to keep
them entertained. The town is in desperate need for something like this.
h. I think that Lexington particularly needs a place for teens. It would also be good
to have a place for interaction between different age groups.
i. I remember wishing for a safe place for my young teens to go and enjoy being
with friends.
j. We need a place where people of all ages can meet each other. Toddlers need
an indoor place to play and older kids need a center for after school and during
school vacations.
k. Kids will have an outlet, teens have a connection place that is safe and healthy
minded.
It would knit our community together with centralized place. Now so many
events are sprinkled all over the place. I would especially love to see this for a
place for our middle and high school kids to be able to go to in the evenings in
the winter /bad weather days.
m. High school teens need a safe place to hang out with friends on Friday and
Saturday nights instead of traveling to Cambridge or Boston.
n. It was hard when we were in high school to find under 21 events, to gather
amongst friends, even an accessible fitness class, or getting the town
voluklnteers to create /sponsor an event for a charity, an area to play
cards /board games maybe hosta. Monthly game nights (trivia brings together all
ages)
o. There is no central place for this right now. Teens particularly have no good
place to hang out other than in coffee shops in Lexington center
p. Particularly for teens — who need a place to go to socialize but exercise and
interest groups would be a nice addition in town.
q. It would strengthen the community and get members of all ages involved.
Currently the town does not have any activities of interest for teenage children
on a regular basis; they need to get more involved in the community. It may help
to keep our kids out of trouble and safe.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
r. Hayden is nice, but something more "community" minded would be nice. I grew
up with a teen community center which was great ...really filled a void, especially
in the after school space.
s. Teens especially need a safe productive place to socialize and connect. Acton
has this and parents and teens agree that this has been very beneficial.
t. Kids are bored, need some structure on weekends.
u. The issue is especially important for teens. The issue is supervision.
v. I have teens and elders in our family that have no place t o congregate. The
middle schools have only a few dances a year and it is school — specific. Lots of
kids just walk around down town or walk around the mall. We could be
enriching their lives. Seniors really only have church, commercial organizations
or the library. They need more too.
w. Particularly for our teens, providing safe, drug -free fun places to gather and have
fun would be great.
S. INTERGENERATIONAL:
a. It's good for people of all ages to interact; get to know each other, help each
other, and learn together.
b. It brings the community together in a positive and fun way. Each generation has
something to offer other generations.
c. There are so many people of many different ages in Lexington. It would be nice
to have a place to bring them all together.
d. different age groups could learn from and possibly work together on projects.
That is a better world not young in one area and old in another. A community
center might lend opportunities for this.
e. Current facilities are inadequate. I would look forward to intergenerational
activities which would be possible, e.g. senior and kids needs, tutoring, new
parent info. etc
f. All ages benefit from seeing each other and may even interact in activities.
g. I saw how much my grandmother enjoyed the senior center in her community
and I also saw how much seniors enjoyed the occasional visits from young
children. I think an intergenerational center would benefit all of us. As the
parent of a young child. I have often regretted the lack of community space to
take a child on a rainy day — the library is not appropriate for loud play and we
simply don't have another non- commercial space in Lexington to just go and
look around. It's disappointing.
h. To have a lively, functioning, sustainable community it needs to be made up of
people of all ages. Just catering to one group is short sighted and meaningless.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
It would just provide duplication of what we have now. There needs to be a
center to bring all together no matter what their abilities. There should be
activities that span the gaps and accessible to all, this will be mutually beneficial -
older people can be great supporters /mentors to younger people and younger
people can keep older minds lively and inquiring.
Right now we have a lot of things that community offer— library, Munroe center,
Hayden. But they are segregated by age and a type of activity. It would be nice
to have a place where we can meet older people as well as younger families or
even teenagers in a neighborly atmosphere. Intergenerational activities
important
j. All age groups benefit from participating and interacting with other age groups.
k. Too many specialized activities separate the generations now.
I. It would serve as a gathering place and allow for interaction between age groups
that might not normally cross paths. It would be unifying for the town and
enhance the feeling of community.
m. We need a central location for the citizens in town to enjoy multigenerational
activities. This would be a wonderful place!
n. It's a wonderful concept to include all ages under one roof.
o. Would be a great place for intergenerational gatherings.
p. All ages can cooperate and learn from each other. Town support for a Center
would be spread out among all tax payers.
q. It would be great to have all of the activities in one central location instead of
being spread around town. Youngsters and seniors benefit from each other.
r. Keeping a community segregated by age is contrary to what is needed to make a
community.
s. Different age groups don't tend to interact. For example, the senior center is
age- specific. I like a community center that's open to all, not just a specific
group.
t. I think that having mixed age groups would foster mutual activities — example is
seniors telling their stories to children.
u. It's better not to separate all the generations, but for the activities to be
welcoming to all.
v. Would be economical serving more than one group with the same service —
would promote collegiality among age groups — would remove stigma of being
for 'old people"
w. Different generations could enjoy each other, instead of being segregated by
age.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
x. It would bring people together across generations. I think it is often hard to
connect with others who aren't in the same stage of life. I love the idea of a
community center for all ages rather than separate facilities for seniors and
other groups.
y. Assuming the facility is arranged to help the elderly population deal with the
noise that naturally accompanies a teenaged population, I like the idea of this as
a centralized Lexington resource for all ages. It's good to cross - pollinate!
z. I believe in importance in cross generational activities.
aa. Right now there is no place where Lexington citizens of all ages can meet and
participate in activities together.
6. LEXINGTON AS A TOWN /COMMUNITY:
a. Lexington is a town of people of many backgrounds. We all benefit from sharing
ideas and activities at any age.
b. It would be spectacular. It would offer a dynamic and vital center to the town
and we would use it regularly. Thank you very much for considering such a
wonderful addition to Lexington
c. It would enhance the town and give teens something wholesome to do.
d. Personal and professional experience with other towns provides me with info
and opinion that Lexington, as a municipality, offers less than other communities
in these areas.
e. Lexington is a vibrant community, this would be a great way to share and grow
together
f. In a town that everything is so competitive, a community center can serve as a
calming place, getting together, for all ages and creating a supported
environment. Ages 12 and up have nowhere to go, with the right approach and
program, this will be the place.
g. I think this would be so important. I've lived here my whole life and I find out
about things through other people. I work full -time so it's hard to keep up with
everything and I don't have time to "dig" for information.
h. Lexington has always fostered "community' and the feeling of inclusion and
involving neighbors and neighborhoods in all walks of life. Any additional
resource used to bring community together is in the spirit of the town and its
historical culture and would be welcomed by all.
i. Notable by its absence, especially compared with most other towns.
j. I'm very surprised that it takes so long for Lexington to even consider a
comm.;un;;ity; center, especially there's nothing for teens.
k. Been pushing for this for 4 years.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
I. Lexington has lost some of its sense of community. I think a center location will
be an asset to the town and the development of the residences.
m. One of the very nice things we love about Lexington is the town center and town
recreation spaces because we feel like we often run into people we know. That's
a big plus and it creates a sense of community. It will increase civic participation
and sense of loyalty.
n. When guests come into town, I have to gather information from various sources,
websites, visitor center, museum of our national heritage, minuteman
newspaper etc) to pull together a Lexington Welcome packet. If information was
handy; folks would want to stay longer and frequent our establishments more.
o. Just moved to area and feel like I am having to do a lot of legwork to track things
down.
p. Part of the reason that I likeliving in Lexington is the strong sense of community.
It isn't your normal suburbia suburb.
q. In a town that everythins is so competitieve, a community center cansserve as a
calming place, gtting together, for all ages and creating a supported
environment. Ages 12 and up have no where to go, with the right approach and
program , this will be the place.
r. Lexingtoninans pay a lot of taxes, and they ashould be getting more than good
schools for that money. It would make for c= better community spirit.
s. The town and selectmen have been studying the senior center problem for 20
yea rs .... seeming to throw a little money at the service gap in an effort to placate
people then no action is ever taken. I'd like to know how much has been spent
on studies regarding this since the 1990's when the inadequacy of the current
senior center was under discussion. Given the demographic in Lexington, it
seems like a community center that weres all ages has a greater likelihood of
actually happening. I think a community cent could cultivate interactions among
peopf of all ages in our community, which is important. As a parent of a young
family I think such an addition would be abe a great resource that we would
utilize.
t. A gathering place has always been a part of Lexington History .... we, as communal
community, must commune ... and this community center is the place to do it.
u. We are long overdue for a community center. The town needs a focal point for
everyone beyond what the library provides now.
v. I think the Hayden Center is great, but when we moved here I was hoping it
would be something that was good for the whole family, but it's really not. A
community Center could be that.
Positive Responses
APPENDIX G
Responses to open ended question: " Lexington would benefit from a community center with
activites, events, and programs for all ages"
Negative responses:
SENIOR ISSUES:
1. We need a senior center. It's terrible how much money we take from our senior citizens in real estate
taxes and we have -not built a center. We've been talking about it since we arrived here 20 years ago.
Let's do a senior center first.
2. While looking at all ages, make sure you provide and support the needs of the seniors.
3. First provide a senior center as every surrounding community does, then do anything else you wish. An
unhealthy airless, windowless, too small place is an insult to the seniors who comprise the largest
population group here.
4. As a senior looking around at other communities such as Weston, Belmont, Wayland that have senior
centers. I would like to see emphasis on provision of programs, entertainment and services to seniors.
Not to be ageist (in a positive sense) but % of the town budget goes to the schools and affiliated
services it would be gratifying to have some of the taxes we've paid for 50+ years directed toward
senior needs and activities.
5.1 prefer a new community center for seniors only — of course we know seniors are not regarded well in
Lexington. It's obvious that other affluent t towns /cities such as Newton, Needham and Wellesley do a
lot better for their senior citizens.
6. How many years now have we been talking about a new senior center which still does not exist? The
community center is nothing but a pipe dream and a diversion. Of course new school buildings are
another matter.
7. Most 'ages" are served by schools, town recreation dept. Carey hall, etc. Exception is seniors.
8. Non- seniors get enough services as it is. Seniors only have an inadequate center.
9. Teens can be intimidating — unwittingly — to seniors who move more slowly. Teens can be loud. Why can't
Lexington have its own renovated senior center?
10. HOWEVER, there are already lots of opportunities for kids but only a lousy opportunity for seniors.
11. Only the seniors could use a communal gathering space — they may be alone and old and need a caring
community space. 1. Families have their homes -often with large family rooms 2. Teens have their
activities re: the schools 3. 1 believe the disabled have their helping services 4. Singles have their friends
to hang with 5. Children have their schools and families. We cannot be all things to all people.
12. Lexington has places which already perform most of these functions. Schools have many clubs and new
ones can be started. Hayden Rec. Center is an available option. Duplication or reproducing programs in
a Community Center is not fiscally sound. I do support a new Senior Center to replace the current
facility which needs a fresh look.
13. Senior Center is for seniors, don't need a community center. Most seniors do not drive in the night.
14. WE NEED A GOOD SENIOR CENTER NOT A COMMUNITY CENTER
15. Seniors should have a really outstanding center of their own.
16. Elderly require a softer setting.
17. Current Sr. Center is inadequate and its range of Sr. activities is very limited. Support and
activities /resources constitute an egregious lack for a significant segment (Sr. citizens /taxpayers) of
Lexington's citizens. The other population demographics already have wide - ranging facilities and
activities, in comparison. E.g. athletic social,eduational.
Negative Responses
APPENDIX G
18. We already have Hayden, Munroe, etc for children. We need to focus more on the elderly /seniors and
teens in the community.
19. Seniors should have a safe place to meet without being faced with vandalism and wanton destruction
and defacing.
20. Specifically we need a good strong senior center.
21. 1 see it competing with Hayden, Munroe and other independent schools /orgs /faith communities in
town (LexFun, LCE. Etc.) I feel strongly that we need a Senior Center (only) as there are a lot of
resources and programs for young families and children.
22. There are ample opportunities for kids in town. Don't want the Center to feel like Hayden, overrun with
children. Prefer adult focus, especially for seniors.
23. Seniors need a place to gather that has a better layout than the current center. Little kids usually come
with parents so they may be included. Teens have the schools. Not sure they need to be included.
24. The need is for an older adult /senior center. All other age groups have enough options already.
25. This idea is too broad and will end up serving very few residents of the town. The proposed activities
overlap with existing programs and recreational facilities. The real need is for a facility and program
designed for the growing senior population who have long been relegated to a dark basement. Also, a
centralized information center should be part of the town offices /town hall; info is also available at Cary
Library. Either location could be enhanced to provide more services.
OTHER RESOURCES IN LEXINGTON:
1. There already exist many centers that do part of what was proposed in the program. E.g.: Hayden center,
Monroe center etc. Not sure what is unique about this center.
2. All the noted activities are provided by many organizations in and around town, from the sport clubs to
Hayden the library that we just renovated, etc. No need for more buildings that duplicates activities.
3. It seems like we have much of this already in town with the Lexington library, the pool complex, the
senior center, the Hayden, the Visitors Center, the Rec. dept. Cary Hall, the old Harrington Gym, the
Depot, etc. Why not use these current places more effectively! We could use the Old Harrington much
more than we do. It need not only be used for the School Dept. In fact, why not use the old school
building (white house) for some activities?
4.1 feel like some of these are taken care of by other resources in Lexington
5. When my school age children used Hayden, I found that it was possible to use the gym for jogging and the
exercise rooms when the kids were in school. I believe that there was a great deal of unused capacity
that could have benefited everyone if the funds were available and if it were permitted by the Hayden
foundation terms.
6.1 know that Hayden offers a lot of these same activities. How will this center differ from what Hayden
offers?
7. Lexington already as Hayden, public library and similar resources. A community center seems expensive
and redundant.
8. All the events you mention are already offered by our schools, libraries, fitness centers, etc.
9. We already have a good library, recreation center, sports clubs and more.
10. We have Hayden and Munroe but this would provide a centralized location for a lot of activities that do
not have a home in either place.
11. Hayden already does a lot of this ... is there a real need?
12. We already have the library and Hayden
Negative Responses
APPENDIX G
13. In view of the many opportunities for the kinds of programs listed before much of the possible uses
seem redundant. I am also doubtful there is a wide demand for the center.
14. Right now there are several centers in the town that tailor most of these needs (Hayden, Monroe, art
center on Waltham st.) I am skeptical to "strongly agree" because I am not sure how those centers
would be affected and how everything would affect the tax payers.
15. We already have many entities /facilities around town and they are doing very well at what they are
and specialized in their areas. We are not a huge city that need "one stop shopping" center.
16. This is an idea in search of a problem which doesn't not exist. Time would be better spent trying to
better utilize existing resources.
17. I think some of the items mentioned are redundant, such as sporting which is what we have a Hayden
center for and information center which is what we already have, the Town Hall.
18. Lexington already has a community center for school - children (Hayden) and the library has so many
programs for a wide variety of residents. Teenagers are not likely to hang out where seniors hang out
(and visa versa) so there is not "one center for all"
19. All these activities are provided via other programs in town. (perhaps the seniors could use some
Central base but teen, religious places, libraries, web sites and the Hayden Center all bases appear to be
covered)
20. A lot of activities listed for the community center appear to have overlap with the Hayden rec. center. I
don't think we need two facilities offering the same programs
21. While Hayden is private it acts as our community center. Why replace it? Fine to add things, but
duplication serves no one.
FINANCIAL ISSUES:
1. It's redundant, and we don't need another item on the expense side of the budget.
2. All these activities, except maybe a teen drop in, are already offered around town, just in different
locations. The library, town hall, depot, Hayden,LCE are all doing very well. Is a new center really worth
raising my taxes?
3. 1 see no down side, except the expense.
4. 1 agree it would benefit, but not sure if the money to support it is taking away from something else..?
5. Too costly to taxpayers to justify its existence.
6. It seems that there are a lot of buildings /non - profit organizations in Lexington which have provided most
services mentioned. It's better for the committee to tell Lexington residents what a price they need to pay
as well. I don't think it's the right time to ask resident for tens of millions of dollars for something 'luxury"
or not a good value for most of the residents.
7. We already do all the things mentioned in the survey! There's no need to centralize them and increase
our taxes to support a costly community center!
8. There are other places for these functions, including schools and peoples' homes.
9. We do not need a community center at this time. Lexington abounds in all that a community center would
offer. To establish a community center would take away from the many wonderful town programs which
are already offered. Furthermore, and this is the most important point. We are in an economic downturn.
people who are working are working 80 hours a week and people who are not working cannot find work.
It is not fiscally responsible to even consider asking the taxpayers to pay for a new community center
when they are struggling to pay their existing taxes.
10. Waste of money!
Negative Responses
APPENDIX G
11. Even though the concept is nice, how would this affect taxes or my family expenses in any way is my
concern. We already have Hayden recreation and a lot of town recreation actitivities as well as a senior
center. So we need to make sure we really need one more especially if it adds to every family's expenses
in terms of tax or other money for maintenance.
12. 1 do not believe the town has the resources to do this and it is only duplicating existing services!
13. Children already have Hayden and seniors have a senior center. I don't see the need for an additional
building I don't think it would be used enough justify the expense
14. Not willing to support the additional funding the town would need for such a service. Also seniors and
children should not be mixed.
15. There are plenty of public and private facilities that can offer spaces for the activities listed. To spend
more taxpayer money in a community that already has a wealth of programs is a waste.
16. In the current economic climate and with rising rate of property taxes and the priority of paying for school
infrastructure and the likelihood that LHS will need updating. Lexington should not be spending money
on this. We need to conserve. It would be particularly annoying if our taxes are raised to pay for this. And
we end up having to pay per uses anyway. We have Hayden already.
17. We have a lot of resources in Lexington already. One more center can be useful, but who is paying to
build this center? I think it may be better to utilize existing facilities in Lexington for some of the purposes
proposed.
18. To try to do this adequately for all ages seems an almost overwhelming and too ambitious plan. VERY
costly to run, and seems to duplicate the many other possibilities for various activities that are availaaable
to Lex. residents.
19. Although it might be nice to have it all easy and centralized, many of these already exist in Lexington. I
think the seniors need something but not sure about needing to centralize everything else. I would
support it if the money was already available, but not if the town needs the residents to add more. I
would rather see the money go towards lowering taxes or education.
20. Everything this survey tries to promote either exists or could be accommodated within the current
buildings or private facilities by volunteering with participant leadership. There are many service
organizations within this town that are in need of members to assist others, why not join of them, why
not volunteer for existing youth groups, why not join Hayen, swim, exercise, play cards, dance, go to the
Library and take advantage and request expansion of the opportunities they will support. Meeting space,
town hall, schools and private buildings all have space, people want to meet, it is only the cost of rental.,
support current space available as a result of your particular wish and not burden all taxpayers.
21. We are adding significantly to the town overhead expenses without an ovivious benefit. The money may
be better spent making existing activities stronger and providing grants to the numerous organizations
already providing similar facilities in town.
22. An info kiosk is already available in Cary Library; why not provide additional funding for more reference
staff if a lack is felt? Proposed community center replicates existing programs and facilities at addional
costs. This whole thing smacks of CPA funds in search of a purpose- I was opposed to the CPA slush fund
in the first place because I knew it would fund /create marginal proposals like this.
23. As I mentioned earlier, this is not the time to be adding to tax burden for residents when we can easily re-
purpose all our existing public buildings to handle these activities. We are not the Lexington town
government's own ATM machine. I find this offensive in its timing and potential fiscal burden to place on
residents.
24. I'd more strongly agree if it gets funded by existing taxes (especially CPA) if the initiative turns into an
override effort I will not support it.
25. Nice to have but budget discipline is much more important.
Negative Responses
APPENDIX G
26. You did not discuss the fees or other concerns that might impact the usage. In spite of the perception
that Lexington is a wealthy community there are many, particularly seniors trying to make ends meet.
Also, it should not duplicate the function of currently existing programs. i.e. Hayden
27. Lexington would benefit most by developing a downtown that has more than banks and hair salons. We
have event space already and organization to set up said events. But we don't have a tax base.
28. Rather than a new project at the expense of the taxpayers that will not use the center, how about
revamping or revitalizing the programs and facilities we have.
OTHER:
1. If you focus on teens and seniors, its better. We can't have a center for all age groups, toddlers with teens
is a hard thing to do.
2. Won't be consistently /adequately funded over time. So will fall into disuse and disrepair: will be a liability
magnet: provides services that are better offered through the private sector.
3. NO
4. Will not be maintained: will only be used by a small group: within 5 years will be a blemish.
5. A virtual center, not an actual center as there are no suitable sites in Lexington left.
6. We have already had enough good programs
7. This is the every epitome of a government boondoggle. First, there isn't any unmet need in Lexington. We
have copious arts and crafts, adult learning, library access, clubs and ativies and physic cal fitness
resources already in town. Furthermore, there is never any reason to "centralize" these disparate activies
proposed or promised by the committee) why put athletics and art in the same building ?) it doesn't make
any sense.
8. Right now we have decentralized facilities that accomplish some of these pieces. Not sure we want to
duplicate and compete. I'd like to see assessment of areas and capabilities we have today. Disappointed
we did not get field we voted for athletics — there is a deficit which is not getting addressed!!! Are we
going to once again fund something and it gets derailed by last minute special interests? There are other
spaces in town to be leveraged if we had a coherent central planning perhaps we could better use existing
resources.
9. Trying to do everything is just plain unrealistic —it's hard to imagine it being successful and I'm not aware
of any examples.
Negative Responses
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APPENDIX I
DPA Profile of General Demographic
Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100
NOTE: For information on confidentiality
protection, nonsampling error, definitions,
and count corrections see
http: / /facttinder.census.gov /home /en /datan DP -1- Geography- Lexington town, Middlesex
otes/expsfl u.htm. County, Massachusetts: Profile of General
Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010
Subject
Lexin ton town
2010 Demographic Profile Data
NOTE: For more
303551
Number
Percent
Total population
30,355
100.0
SEX AND AGE
#VALUE!
Subject
Number
Percent
Male
14,265
47.0
14,265
SEX AND AGE
Female
16,090
53.0
16,090
Total population
31,394
100.0
Under years
1,728
5.7
1,728
Under years
1,438
4.6
5 to 9 years
2,430
8.0
2,430
5 to 9 years
2,342
7.5
10 to 14 years
2,491
8.2
1 2,491
10 to 14 years
2,706
8.6
15 to 19 years
1,773
5.8
1 1.773
15 to 19 years
2,259
7.2
20 to 24 years
640
2.1
640
20 to 24 years
849
2.7
25 to 34 years
1,982
6.5
1,982
25 to 29 years
679
2.2
35 to 44 years
4,896
16.1
4,896
30 to 34 years
914
2.9
45 to 54 years
5,338
17.6
5,338
35 to 39 years
1,676
5.3
55 to 59 years
1,829
6.0
1,829
40 to 44 years
2,447
7.8
60 to 64 Vears
1,481
4.9
1,481
45 to 49 Vears
2,909
9.3
65 to 74 years
2,716
8.9
2,716
50 to 54 years
2,724
8.7
75 to 84 years
2,099
6.9
2,099
5,767
55 to 59 years
2,553
8.1
85 Vears and over
952
3.1
952
1 7.248
60 to 64 Vears
2,047
6.5
Median age ears
43.7
X
44
65 to 69 years
1,501
4.8
18 years and over
22,352
73.6
22,352
70 to 74 years
1 225
3.9
Male
10,174
33.5
10,174
75 to 79 years
1,071
3.4
Female
12,178
40.1
12,178
80 to 84 years
965
3.1
21 years and over
21,813
71.9
21,813
85 years and over
1,089
3.5
62 years and over
6,644
21.9
6,644
Median age ears
45.6
X
65 years and over
5,767
19.0
5,767
16 years and over
24,352
77.6
Male
2,276
7.5
2.276
18 years and over
23,187
73.9
Female
3,491
11.5
3,491
21 years and over
22,518
71.7
RACE
#VALUE!
62 years and over
7,038
22.4
One race
29,926
98.6
29,926
65 years and over
5,851
18.6
White
26,146
86.1
26,146
Male population
14,904
47.5
Black or African American
343
1.1
343
Under 5 years
736
2.3
American Indian and Alaska Native
23
0.1
5 to 9 years
1,187
3.8
Asian
3,310
10.9
10 to 14 years
1,385
4.4
Asian Indian
672
2.2
15 to 19 years
1,127
3.6
Chinese
1,692
5.6
20 to 24 years
436
1.4
Filipino
45
0.1
25 to 29 years
344
1.1
Japanese
214
0.7
30 to 34 years
395
1.3
Korean
431
1.4
35 to 39 years
743
2.4
Vietnamese
27
0.1
40 to 44 years
1,155
3.7
Other Asian [11
229
0.8
45 to 49 years
1,416
4.5
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific
2
0.0
50 to 54 years
1,298
4.1
Native Hawaiian
0
0.0
55 to 59 years
1,220
3.9
Guamanian or Chamorro
0
0.0
60 to 64 years
985
3.1
Samoan
1
0.0
1 65 to 69 years
668
2.1
Other Pacific Islander [21
1
0.0
70 to 74 years
551
1.8
Some other race
102
0.3
75 to 79 years
488
1.6
Two or more races
429
1.4
80 to 84 ears
394
1.3
Race alone or in combination with one
85 years and over
376
1.2
White
26,527
87.4
Median age ears
44.8
X
Black or African American
450
1.5
16 ears and over
11,304
36.0
American Indian and Alaska Native
71
0.2
18 years and over
10,745
34.2
Asian
3,572
11.8
21 years and over
10,396
33.1
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific
15
0.0
62 years and over
3,031
9.7
Some other race
176
0.6
65 years and over
2,477
7.9
HISPANIC OR LATINO AND RACE
Female population
16,490
52.5
Total population
30,355
100.0
Under 5 years
702
2.2
Hispanic or Latino of any race
428
1.4
5 to 9 years
1,155
3.7
Mexican
70
0.2
10 to 14 years
1,321
4.2
Puerto Rican
71
0.2
15 to 19 years
1,132
3.6
Cuban
31
0.1
20 to 24 years
413
1.3
Other Hispanic or Latino
256
0.8
25 to 29 years
335
1.1
Not Hispanic or Latino
29,927
98.6
30 to 34 years
519
1.7
White alone
25,822
85.1
35 to 39 years
933
3.0
RELATIONSHIP
40 to 44 years
1,292
4.1
Total population
30,355
100.0
45 to 49 years
1,493
4.8
In households
29,574
97.4
50 to 54 years
1,426
4.5
Householder
11,110
36.6
55 to 59 years
1,333
4.2
Spouse
7,336
24.2
60 to 64 years
1,062
3.4
Child
9,561
31.5
65 to 69 years
833
2.7
Own child under 18 years
7,724
25.4
70 to 74 years
674
2.1
Other relatives
831
2.7
75 to 79 years
583
1.9
Under 18 years
211
0.7
80 to 84 years
571
1.8
Nonrelatives
736
2.4
85 years and over
713
2.3
Unmarried partner
217
0.7
Median age ears
46.4
X
In group quarters
781
2.6
16 years and over
13,048
41.6
Institutionalized population
597
2.0
18 years and over
12,442
39.6
Noninstitutionalized population
184
0.6
21 years and over
12,122
38.6
HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE
62 years and over
4,007
12.8
Total households
11 110
100.0
65 years and over
3,374
10.7
Famil households families
8,429
75.9
RACE
VYith own children under 18 ears
14,197
37.8
1 Total population
31,3
100.0
APPENDIX I
(X) Not applicable.
White
24,39
Black or African American
650
0.1
American Indian and Alaska
104
[1] Other Asian alone, or two or more Asian
Asian
6,836
categories.
[2] Other Pacific Islander alone, or two or
more Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific
31,394
100.0
Islander categories.
713
2.3
[3] In combination with one or more other
567
1.8
races listed. The six numbers may add to
116
10.1
more than
1 4
0.0
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census HISPANIC OR LATINO
2000 Summary File 1, Matrices P1, P3, Total population 31,394 100.0
P4, P8, P9, P12, P13, P,17, P18, P19,
P20, P23, P27, P28, P33, PCT5, PCT8,
PCT11, PCT15, H1, H3, H4, H5, H11, and
Puerto Rican
107
0.3
Cuban
31
0.1
Other Hispanic or Latino [51
413
1.3
Not Hispanic or Latino
30,681
97.7
HISPANIC OR LATINO AND RAC
Total population
31,394
100.0
Hispanic or Latino
713
2.3
White alone
567
1.8
Black or African American
116
10.1
American Indian and Alaska
1 4
0.0
Asian alone
1
0.0
Native Hawaiian and Other
10
10.0
Some Other Race alone
169
10.2
I Black or African American 1457 11.5 1
I Some Other Race alone 177 10.2 I
APPENDIX I
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
30,871
98.3
Householder
11,530
36.7
Spouse[61
7,708
24.6
23,107
10,123
23, 496
5,851
Own child under 18 years
7,996
25.5
Other relatives
872
2.8
Under 18 years
165
0.5
65 years and over
423
1.3
Nonrelatives
5,767
2.0
Under 18 years
22
0
2000
2010
❑ 0 -59
23,107
23,496
■ 60 -64
1,481
2,047
■65+
5,767
5,851
1.3
Male
137
In households
30,871
98.3
Householder
11,530
36.7
Spouse[61
7,708
24.6
Child
10,123
32.2
Own child under 18 years
7,996
25.5
Other relatives
872
2.8
Under 18 years
165
0.5
65 years and over
423
1.3
Nonrelatives
638
2.0
Under 18 years
22
0.1
65 years and over
63
0.2
Unmarried partner
279
0.9
In group quarters
523
1.7
Institutionalized population
421
1.3
Male
137
0.4
Female
284
0.9
Noninstitutionalized population
102
0.3
Male
60
0.2
Female
42
0.1
HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE
Total households
11,530
100.0
Family households families ) [71
8,807
76.4
With own children under 18
4,450
38.6
Husband -wife family
7,708
66.9
With own children under 18
3,890
33.7
Male householder, no wife
242
2.1
With own children under 18
100
0.9
Female householder, no
857
7.4
With own children under 18
460
4.0
Nonfamily households [71
2,723
23.6
Householder living alone
2,416
21.0
Male
749
6.5
65 years and over
326
2.8
Female
1,667
14.5
65 years and over
1,078
9.3
Households with individuals
4,557
39.5
Households with individuals 65
3,894
33.8
Average household size
2.68
X
Average family size [71
3.12
X
HOUSING OCCUPANCY
Total housing units
12,019
100.0
Occupied housing units
11,530
95.9
Vacant housing units
489
4.1
For rent
122
1.0
Rented not occupied
25
0.2
For sale only
107
0.9
Sold not occupied
60
0.5
For seasonal recreational or
73
0.6
All other vacants
102
0.8
Homeowner vacancy rate
1.1
X
Rental vacant rate (percent) 9
4.9
X
HOUSING TENURE
Occupied housing units
11,530
100.0
Owner-occupied housing units
9,171
79.5
Population in owner-occupied
25,640
X
Average household size of
2.80
X
Renter-occupied housing units
2,359
20.5
Population in renter-occupied
5,231
X
Average household size of
2.22
X
X Not applicable.
[1] Other Asian
alone, or two or more
[2] Other Pacific
Islander alone, or
[3] One of the four
most commonly
[4] In combination
with one or more of
[5] This category is
composed of people
[6] "Spouse"
represents spouse of
[7] "Family
households' consist
[8] The homeowner
vacancy rate is the
[9] The rental
vacancy rate is the
multiplying by 100.
Source: U.S. Census