Garden City Seniors Feel Shortchanged

Seniors packed the Golf Club Lane senior center on Monday to meet with village trustee John Watras (West) and Kevin Ocker, chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Cultural and Recreational Affairs, to discuss what they perceive as a deficit in senior offerings.

George Salem, co-president of the Retired Men’s Club cited that 22 percent of Garden City’s population is 60 and over. Despite the large percentage, Salem compared Garden City to other villages where senior recreational offerings and centers outshine those in the village. 

“For the taxes we pay, we’re not getting a fair share,” Salem said. “Seniors are shortchanged in the village budget.”

Issues include the senior center on Golf Club Lane, which is too small to accommodate the growing population. Additionally, restrooms are old and not wheelchair accessible; the kitchen is inefficient; and it is questionable whether the building is properly equipped for handicap accessibility.

The senior center at St. Paul’s provides another 1,000 square feet but is not enough to offset the deficit, seniors said.

According to Ocker, plans have been on file for an extension to Golf Club Lane for years. He has submitted an estimate for this project on a yearly basis only to be excluded due to budgetary concerns. He quoted a rough estimate for this extension at about $600,000.

Watras recommended appointing a senior liaison to attend board of trustee and Citizen’s Budget Review committee meetings.

“I know you feel like the 'poor' of the parish and we need to fix this,” said Watras.

“Compared to other communities, the percent of budget directly benefiting seniors is miniscule,” shared Ocker. “I would like to reinstate funds to the level we had even a few years ago.”

Ocker advised that seniors have a new friend in an organization called . This not-for-profit 501 c (3) has been created to benefit the village's arts, parks and recreation. The organization has chosen improving the kitchen at the Golf Club Lane center as its first project.

Meeting attendee Kathleen Auro cited that seniors need immediate solutions.

“I’ve listened and heard the same rehashing,” said Auro. “We need action sooner rather than later while we’re here to enjoy it.”

Watras agreed to immediately address a punch list for improvements to Golf Club Lane, work on appointing a liaison, visit Westbury’s senior center and inquire about obtaining a bond for improvements.

“I was a village trustee in 1990 and we were talking about this extension,” said Alfred Urban. “That was 21 years ago and nothing has been accomplished.”