| Photo screengrab from YouTube
JERSEY CITY, NJ — For nearly 40 years of waiting, senior residents have a reason to celebrate and be happy about — the city’s first new community Senior Center opened its doors on Aug. 7 after two years when the project was started.
The modern facility, Joseph Connors Senior Center, is located along Central Avenue in the Heights. It is designed to meet the evolving needs of Jersey City’s senior residents with a safe place to stay active, socialize, and thrive.
In his remarks, Mayor Steven M. Fulop said they envisioned a place that reflected how “we viewed the importance of our seniors.” And that is, Fulop said, “someplace that was lively, open, and inviting, someplace that people would go to and feel they are appreciated.” “Someplace,” the mayor continued, “with recreational opportunities, consistently clean, and consistently working elevators.”
“What we are opening here today is exactly that and more,” Fulop said. “With this building, we now have a one-stop Human Services Hub for senior-specific services in a public-facing atmosphere that is accessible and welcoming.”
The new senior lunch site will also serve as a one-stop hub for Health and Human Services with on-site staffing from the city’s offices of Immigrant Affairs, Senior Affairs, and Veteran Affairs.
To complement the Fulop Administration’s initiatives promoting healthy eating and living, a food pantry and vertical farm on the first floor will provide free, nutritious food to those in need. A commercial kitchen was also built in the new center across from the large dining room to give the seniors daily lunch. The former Parking Authority building has been transformed into an open, accessible layout, including a newly renovated multipurpose room and game room.
Fulop called Jersey City officials responsible for completing the building project, who will provide services to seniors’ needs.
“We have space for The Hope Center to bring their extras for a food pantry,” said Stacey Flanagan, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services,” adding the Divisions of Veterans Affairs, Immigrant Affairs, and the headquarters for Senior Affairs will be relocated to this building. Their relocation was to establish a one-stop location for seniors to access critical services and resources they regularly rely on.
Joan Eccleston, Director of the Division of Senior Affairs, said her office can do a lot of direct services for seniors in the new location.
“We will have new classes, organized activities, exercise classes, and even computer literacy training in the new computer lab in partnership with the Jersey City Free Public Library. This is going to be a great place for seniors in so many ways,” Eccleston said.
“This project marks another milestone in our continued effort to establish more convenient one-stop shops throughout the city. We started with HEDC and Public Safety, and today we are proud to inaugurate this new one-stop entity for Jersey City seniors,” adds Business Administrator John Metro. “This would not have been possible without our nonprofit and trade partners, who helped turn the city’s vision into reality.”
“This project started with a vision that the Mayor had to provide a much better facility for our seniors. We were charged with building a usable space that is designed to meet everyone’s needs and abilities. We also successfully retained much of the tin ceiling and wall tiles, an architectural element of the original building dating back to 1880,” said Barkha Patel, Director of the Department of Infrastructure.
“This is a big day for Ward D. I see this as the Ritz Carlton of senior centers. It is so beautiful, and it is something that our seniors deserve. A huge thank you to Mayor Fulop for making this happen,” concluded Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh.
Bill O’Dea, a longtime Board of Hudson County Commissioner, advocate for seniors, and a Jersey City aspirant for mayor, also spoke briefly, saying the center is a “great facility.” Under his leadership, the county helped fund the center’s kitchen. He also said that the next step would be to add (the location) a stop for busses for seniors to see free movies.
In addition to Joseph Connors Senior Center, Jersey City has the Maureen Collier Senior Center on Berger Avenue and Ege.
