After a yearslong funding decline, the Historic Triangle Senior Center in January asked James City County to take over its programming.
The senior center, located in the James City County Recreation Center, was formerly funded by James City and York counties, the City of Williamsburg, donations and dues, but the nonprofit’s Board of Directors saw incoming funds drop off for years, said Doug Panto, interim board president.
In January, the board realized it would likely not have enough funding to continue, Panto said. On May 15, the money ran out.
The center then withdrew its funding requests from the localities, and asked James City County to take over running the center.
When the county’s Board of Supervisors voted on the fiscal year 2015 budget, it left funds in a contingency account in anticipation of a Parks and Recreation request coming in for the senior center.
Carla Brittle, centers administrator, is working to transition the center to Parks and Recreation control, and has requested $21,000 from James City County. Most of the money Brittle has requested from the county would pay for an employee to oversee the center and coordinate programs. Currently, the center operates 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but Brittle said the center is not tied to the hours.
“We can do night programming, weekend programming, whatever the seniors want,” Brittle said.
The center offers bingo, senior luncheons and trips to museums, as well as clubs for various interests like book club, bridge club, sewing club and reminiscing groups.
Panto said because groups are created based on interests of the roughly 300 members, he does not foresee any major changes under James City County, but does have a hope the center could expand into other areas of the recreation center.
“What I would like to see is more exercise-type programs where [the seniors] are able to utilize more of the facility, whether it be pool exercises, cycling or something of that nature. I’d love to see that incorporated,” Panto said.
In the time since May 15, the senior center has been operating as if nothing changed.
The center no longer has an executive director, which was its only paid position, and the nonprofit status will be dissolved. The volunteers responsible for running programs are still going about their daily duties. The center’s board members are serving until James City County assumes control. The $50 per year paid membership program will cease May 31, and a new system is planned to be implemented July 1.
“We are trying to be as seamless as possible,” Brittle said.
