The Kennewick Senior Center will transition into a community center because of dwindling use and a demand for more all-age facilities.

“Our daily participation counts of seniors at the senior center have steadily declined, as have the number of volunteer hours contributed at the center. We’ve got to make a change with the marketplace,” said Emily Estes-Cross, the city’s parks, recreation and economic development director.

The city will continue to use the 8,429-square-foot building at 500 S. Auburn St., near City Hall in the nine-acre Keewaydin Park, to serve up Meals on Wheels lunches and offer senior programming.

The plan to convert the senior center into a community center is a work in progress.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Commission will meet with the Kennewick City Council during a June 26 workshop to discuss how to keep existing seniors engaged; programs to reach a broader audience; a timeline for building remodel priorities; and a naming strategy.

The workshop is at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 210 W. Sixth Ave.

The city budgeted $200,000 for improvements to the center, built in 1976, that include Wi-Fi, as well as a more accessible entrance.

Estes-Cross said the city plans to complete an architect rendering of the improvements this year.

The definition and perception of who a “senior” is has evolved over the years, as has the growing number of options for recreation, socialization and aging-related services, all of which has affected participation at senior centers across the country.

This means cities need to catch up, Estes-Cross said.

“We need to evolve our programming and services to the existing senior population in addition to all ages and diverse abilities in the community,” she said.

She pointed to two city surveys — from 2001 and 2014 — that indicated Kennewick’s desire for more community space for all ages.

Since then, the city opened the Southridge Sports and Events Complex and new parks like Hansen Park. “But continued population growth intensifies the need for that social and educational space,” Estes-Cross said.

The 2014 city survey indicated that 83 percent of respondents felt the label “senior” kept them from attending activities, and 79 percent said they never visited the senior center, or had visited one to three times a year.

“It doesn’t serve to function as a clubhouse for a certain age demographic and it’s not the best use of the space. We need to broaden the audience,” Estes-Cross said.

Pasco abandoned its senior center two years ago for the same reason.

The city sold its senior center at 1315 N. Seventh St. to the Pasco School District, which turned it into an early learning center for preschoolers.

Pasco moved its senior programs to a triple-wide modular building at 505 N. First Ave., called the First Avenue Center. Omitting the word “senior” in the building name allows it to be used as a more flexible space for all ages, city officials said.

Kennewick parks and recreation officials recently met with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties as well as the Kennewick School District’s Community Education program staffers to make sure they avoided a duplication of services and to identify needs.

Estes-Cross encouraged those interested in being a part of planning the senior center transition to contact her. She can be reached at 509-585-4258 and [email protected].