To the Editor:

The patient seniors of Newtown have now been waiting 15 years for a new senior center to replace the shared space allocated in the Newtown Multi-Purpose Building back in the late 1970s. The referendum vote on April 25 will be the first time that the seniors of Newtown and their family members will finally have the opportunity to vote on a real new senior center, as most surrounding towns in the area have done over the past few years. Yes, there have been short-sighted, frugal, bumpout additions glued on to the existing space when what was needed was a real new center as first proposed in the CIP back in 2003, and again in 2007, 2010, and finally 2013, when the town proposed funding for a $10 million combined community center-senior center was scrapped in favor of a plan to build the community center sans senior center, with funding from a GE grant in the wake of 2012 events.

Well, we all know the results of that effort from the events of 2015-2016-2017. Newtown is finally stepping up to the longstanding promise to its fastest growing 6,000-plus senior, boomer population by proposing a vote on a $3 million allocation: Question #1 at the top of the ballot on the back side. The voters of Newtown will now have the opportunity to thank both the long-serving and newer seniors to Newtown, regarding their volunteerism, commitment, and dedication to this town for many, many years. Newtown runs on senior and boomer volunteers.

Essentially, this will be a vote to allocate funding to add a modest, no not extravagant, senior center on to the currently under development community center at Fairfield Hills and provide an overall place for intergenerational activities.

As a Newtown resident, taxpayer, and voter for over 40 years, grandparent with three grandchildren in the education system, and professional senior advocate-advisor with a small business here in Newtown, I have invested the last six years of my time involved in the Commission on Aging, Friends of Newtown Seniors, and first Community Center Advisory group in an attempt to both recognize our seniors and reward them with the kind of senior center and senior programs and services that they have now long deserved. As a town, we are currently a laggard. Let's get out and vote and let the seniors and boomers, age 60-plus, all 6,000-plus, know that they deserve a new space to meet, socialize, swim, learn new skills, and participate in health and wellness programs.

Curt Symes

36 Lake Road, Newtown       April 19, 2017