Senior center dining room to reopen Thursday

After a $1.4 million remodeling that started in February, the Carson City Senior Center’s west entrance and dining room will reopen to the public on Thursday.

“We’re just really trying to elevate this space, and the piece that I’m trying to focus on, too, is the fact that seniors were hit so hard during COVID,” Courtney Warner, executive director of the senior center, said Monday.

The renovations were funded by Carson City capital improvement funds and American Rescue Plan Act funding.

“(It’s) just such a wonderful gift to the seniors to be able to have something really nice,” Warner said. “We want to attract new seniors. We want to make sure everyone knows we exist.”

Renovations included upgrades to the bathroom and floor of the west entrance and a remodel of the dining room to accommodate a more varied “choice” menu, among other improvements.

Warner said new programming, like a varied menu, will be rolled out to match upgrades. She said staff will be adjusting programming to meet seniors’ needs.

“The overall goal with this whole project was, massively, to make sure we cater to choice for seniors,” she said. “That flexibility is paramount to programs.”

Thursday, doors will open at 9 a.m., and lunch will be served in the dining room from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The reopening will mark the end of the drive-through lunch service that’s been held in the parking lot during construction, according to a news release.

“A new service feature, ‘to-go’ meal pickup, is now available with the regular on-site lunch service,” reads the release. “To take a meal to-go, participants must bring their own containers.”

Warner said the to-go option is part of the overall flexibility staff is hoping to achieve. While she called Thursday’s reopening a soft opening, Warner hopes a grand reopening with a ribbon cutting will take place in mid-September.

At Thursday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, city officials are scheduled to recognize Carson City Bus Boy, Carson City BBQ and Calvary Chapel for assisting the senior center with meal service during construction.

For information about the center, visit www.carsoncityseniorcenter.org or call 775-883-0703.