(La Porte, IN) - A new location for the senior center in La Porte has been found, not very far from the existing location beside the U.S. 35 overpass.

 

The senior center will move into the Heritage Place at 910 Lincolnway, under an agreement approved Wednesday by the city’s park department.

 

Pending final approval from Northwest Health, the senior center, known as the Activity Center for Older Adults, will be under a three year lease at no cost at its new location. The Parks department will pay the cost of utilities, per Park Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber.

 

Northwest Health owns the multi-level Heritage Place, which has a long history of being a medical office facility. Mayor Tom Dermody said the first floor is vacant, though, providing space for the senior center to occupy. The new location keeps the senior center on one main level while increasing space available for a variety of programming by 80-percent.

 

Heritage Place is also a short walking distance from the current facility, which is inside an old fire station constructed in 1907. .

 

The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte is providing the funding needed for the senior center to operate through at least 2023. HFL is also involved in strategic planning for locating a permanent facility and securing the short term and long term viability of the center.

 

“This segment of our community deserves vibrant programming and resources an Activity Center for Older Adults provides. It is imperative we continue to invite the community to be active and social at all ages," said HFL President and CEO Maria Fruth.

 

With a temporary location now in place, Schreiber said the planning process will turn to growing membership and developing a new facility for future generations of La Porte residents.

 

The ACOA was opened three decades ago by Swanson Center. In 2021, the city and Swanson Center agreed to end the lease on the building. The Park Department then assumed full operations of the ACOA in April 2022.

 

“We were never going to be able to provide the level of programming and services we foresee by staying at the old fire station. We are committed to achieving the goal of a new, state-of-the-art facility with the support of our community partners,” Schreiber said.

 

A developer is in the process of closing on the sale of the old fire station and plans to convert it into office space with recreational offerings following a renovation of the structure.