Today is a groundbreaking day in Watkinsville, marking the ceremonial start of work on the expansion of the Oconee County Senior Center: shovel hits dirt at 10 o’clock this morning at the facility on Hog Mountain Road.
From the Oconee County government website…
The Oconee County Senior Center was recently awarded a Community Development Block Grant to expand its current facility to continue to meet the needs of the county’s older adults. Oconee County is one of 58 communities in Georgia that will receive federal community development assistance through the CDBG program administered through the state Department of Community Affairs.
“I am so thrilled for our community and so thankful for the support of our county administration, the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, the project Dream Team, and our senior participants,” said Senior Center Director Merry Howard. “The senior center used to be the best kept secret in Oconee County, but we have seen so much growth over the last several years, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come now that we have the opportunity to expand and grow even more.”
As a result of a competitive grant process, the Oconee County Senior Center will receive $750,000 in CDBG funds for expansion, including the creation of a health and wellness center and additional space for arts and recreational activities. The expansion project is necessary to accommodate the center’s growing clientele and will provide much-needed floor space to create a safer, more accessible area for fitness and exercise programs. The expansion will also allow the center to offer expanded programming that will provide respite to family caregivers, enrich the lives of older adults living with dementia, and increase available space for a variety of activities.