New Huntingburg Senior Center opens - Dubois County Free Press, Inc.

The City of Huntingburg celebrated the new Huntingburg Senior Center, located near the former St. Joseph’s Hospital, with a ribbon-cutting and grand opening on Tuesday afternoon.

The new center, which has been in the works for eight years and has been included in multiple comprehensive plans, gives seniors access to a modern kitchen, open spaces for activities, and room for expanded programming.

Mayor Neil Elkins and Parks Superintendent Jace Merkel both explained that the new space was a long time coming and now offers many amenities for the region’s senior citizens, an important part of keeping them active and healthy.

“The options are really endless,” Merkel said. “We can host more events and bring in different classes. Whatever the seniors would like.”

*The new center was filled for the grand opening.*

Rita Reller, who coordinates activities for the center, emphasizes the importance of keeping seniors active and engaged. “I’m trying to keep them active and social because that’s supposed to help them live longer. So you got to keep them moving and motivated,” she says.

The previous location presented real challenges. The kitchen was minimal with limited electrical outlets, and the basement setting made the facility hard to find. And it was in a basement offering minimal access to green space for outdoor activities.

The new facility includes multiple televisions for educational presentations, easily movable tables for various activities, and plans for future development of the downstairs space, including fitness equipment and other potential amenities such as a pool table.

And it has easy access to readily available green space that the city plans to improve further.

Elkins outlined how the center is part of a larger vision for the area that includes a planned senior housing development and the restoration of a lake that previously existed on the property.

*Work is still underway on landscaping, adding signage and completing the railing on the deck that will eventually overlook a lake.*

The facility sits next to Deaconess, which has invested millions in the former St. Joseph’s Hospital building.

Mayor Elkins said the new space and other planned improvements in the city are about quality of life.

“We are looking at quality of life for all ages. This is part of that. Whether it be a teen park or a senior center… being active is the best way to stay healthy,” Elkins said.