By GORDON FISK
For The Beachcomber
That was a good article in The Beachcomber about the Vashon Senior Center both simplifying and improving itself through alignment with the Vashon Park District. At a youthful 84, I’m in the cheering section for whatever positive things happen at the senior center.
Now it’s time to start thinking about the next step.
The staff and other leadership at the senior center are wonderful folks doing a great job with what they have, but the location of the center is truly horrible. Think about it for a moment. There is almost no parking.
The area behind the center has four parking spaces designated for the handicapped, and those using it must double-park. Then drivers must back out into the road when leaving, something the AARP Fifty-Five Alive driving class says is to be avoided whenever possible.
Curb parking on the east side of the center is a possibility for one car at the most. That’s where Access buses pull up to load and unload passengers.
Out on the north side of Bank Road, there is the difficult curved curb to negotiate, plus the comings and goings of all the parents bringing and dropping off youngsters for the primary school at the Land Trust Building.
Now to the really scary part of senior center parking — the south side of Bank Road.
It may come as a surprise to some, but folks using the senior center tend to be older than they used to be, and with the passing of the many seasons, they have certain aches, pains and physical limitations.
To park on the south side of Bank Road, a driver must first find a spot, nose into it, then walk along the side of the road to the corner (no sidewalk), watch for oncoming traffic and finally cross the street to the Senior Center.
He or she must reverse the process when leaving — and then back out into the traffic on Bank Road, using a neck that may not swivel with the painless ease of former years as the driver attempts to see all of the oncoming traffic.
The Beachcomber article said that almost 400 Islanders belong to the senior center. I’m sure that’s true, but it appears that many are not participants.
About a dozen folks show up for most lunches, with 30 or so sharing the special-menu Friday lunches.
With better parking, I’m guessing more folks would show up, not only for lunches but for all the other wonderful programs that staff and volunteers put together.
I would like to suggest that with the new park district and Senior Center connection some planning get underway for the sale of the center. It would be great close-to-downtown commercial real estate.
The money from the sale would go to expand the Ober Park building, making it a greater venue for both the senior and those current and future community activities at Ober Park. The park is already used for some Senior Center activities.
There would be better parking. I’m guessing more seniors would participate. The library would be close at hand, and maybe in the planning a covered bandstand could be included, so that those of us who enjoy the great outdoor music would have some protection from the summer sun or even the rain. Does it rain on Vashon?
It’s my understanding that the Senior Center building started out as a library. Maybe it’s now time for the center to follow the library to Ober Park.
— Gordon Fisk has lived on Vashon since 1989.
