Located in a rural Connecticut town known for its strong sense of community, Colchester Senior Center has grown alongside its residents. From its start in 1978 to the grand opening of a brand-new facility in December 2024, the center has continually evolved to meet the needs of an active and engaged older adult population.

What is the history of Colchester Senior Center?

The idea of a new senior center had been discussed for decades. As early as the 1990s, it became clear that the building that housed the center since 1980 was no longer meeting the needs of a growing membership. A new facility was necessary, but achieving that goal was not easy.

The biggest challenge, familiar to many of us in the senior center field, was securing funding. The center’s expansion relied on local, state, and federal funding, including:

• $7.8 million of municipal bonding
• A $2.5 million grant through Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development
• $32,000 from American Rescue Plan Act funds

The center also received $627,000 as part of a generous bequest of $2.5 million shared with the Colchester food pantry, police department, and fire department.

 “This gift forever changed the trajectory of senior services in Colchester,” said Center Director Patty Watts. 

In 2017, the town purchased land next to Town Hall specifically for the new center. Community support was crucial to keep momentum going. Town leaders, senior center staff, and volunteers worked tirelessly to educate the public, advocate for funding, and maintain excitement for the project.

In late 2019, a Building Committee was formed and the groundbreaking took place. Over the next five years, town officials, architects, and senior center leadership worked together to design a space tailored to the needs of older adults.

On Dec. 18, 2024, the new Colchester Senior Center officially opened its doors with a celebration attended by community members and local and state elected officials.

What takes place at Colchester Senior Center?

The new center offers expanded programs for its 2,225 participants that promote health, economic security, socialization, and personal growth. Fitness classes, the fully equipped fitness center, and the game room, which includes a billiards table donated by a neighboring senior center, have proven especially popular. In addition to daily congregate and home delivered meals through the Senior Nutrition Program, special monthly luncheons give opportunities for social engagement, while fundraising events support operations.

The new center accommodates a large multi-purpose room that can host over 200 people, a fitness center, and enhanced accessibility features. Members have already embraced the upgraded amenities, with more than 300 new members joining since the grand opening.

 “When your building does the heavy lifting and people want to be at your center, it helps draw in new members,” Watts said.

For years, the Colchester Senior Center did everything they could to become the best that they could be—they added innovative programs, brought in state-of-the-art services, used technology in new ways. But, eventually, the limitations of the building were holding them back. Capacity in the building was finite, parking was cramped, and although their reputation was good and membership kept growing, there was no doubt they needed a more spacious building specifically designed to be a senior center. Having over 2.5 times the square footage and special amenities that they lacked before is making a huge difference.

What’s next for Colchester Senior Center?

As the center settles into its new home, staff and leadership are focused on continuing their modernization. They are analyzing feedback from a recent community survey to guide future programming. They plan to expand offerings to make the most of the new space and strengthen partnerships with local organizations to provide additional resources for older adults.

The journey to a new senior center was decades in the making. Despite obstacles, the community never stopped believing in the vision. Now, with a modern, accessible facility, Colchester Senior Center stands as a shining example of how senior centers can modernize, grow, and continue enriching lives for generations to come.

Still not a member of the National Institute for Senior Centers? Join today, membership is free. 

If your center has completed a recent study or assessment or is trying out some new programming approaches, we’d love to hear about it. And if you haven't already, we'd encourage you to join the National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC). Free to all senior centers (and their personnel), NISC supports senior centers with best practices and innovations in programming, as well as networking and training opportunities. Find out how you can become a NISC Affiliate today. 

Photos courtesy Colchester Senior Center