DRiVE voucher program for DeKalb Co. seniors

via Commissioner Rader...

 Please come to Central DeKalb Senior Center to learn about the DRiVE Voucher Program for seniors!

Transportation Staff will be there to explain the program changes and answer your questions.

Wednesday, March 7th at 1:00 pm 1346 McConnell Drive Decatur, GA 30033
CDSC Great Room

Please sign up in the lobby!

Additional info about DeKalb vouchers for seniors.

Central DeKalb Senior Center coming to Mason Mill Park

via CHCA... 

Commissioner Rader's website has a link to site and floor plans for a new senior center at Mason Mill Park. Simply labeled as "DeKalb County Central Senior Center", the drawings show the new building facing McConnel Drive, situated on an area that is already paved over. 

Proposed Senior Center at Mason Mill Park (in gold, in drawing at the left) and Google map image of park.
  Image via http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/commdev/pdf/DCSC_communityPresentation_boards.pdf
Click to enlarge.

Street view of proposed center. Click to enlarge.

As proposed, the building would include arts and crafts rooms (listed activites include drawing, painting, carving, pottery, quilting and sewing) and exercise areas (weights/cardio and yoga/dance/aerobics). There is also a cafe, a large multi-purpose room, billiards room, and several classroom and activity spaces. An elevator connects both floors.

OnCentralDeKalb has an item talking about three senior centers being built in DeKalb: a North DeKalb Center (3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee), a South DeKalb Center (at 1931 Candler Road, Decatur, replacing an older structure built in 1979), and a third as-of-yet-unreleased location "Central DeKalb facility" to be "the first county-owned facility in the Central DeKalb area." Per the article, the County will "spend $15 million in federal funding to construct the centers under HUD programs." The article goes on to say that

"Three new senior centers are slated to open by December 2013—one in North DeKalb, one in South DeKalb and one in Central DeKalb, county officials have announced. ... Each 15,000-square-foot center will have community meeting rooms, a computer lab, a fully equipped fitness room, a commercial kitchen, access to walking trails, and sitting areas inside and around the grounds.
The centers’ main dining halls will accommodate approximately 120 people seated, and are designed to easily convert and serve as a meeting space for educational seminars and civic events.
Activity rooms will be made available for ceramics, billiards, and games such as chess, bridge, and backgammon.
A large social lounge will also be included in each facility."

This facility will be a great addition to Mason Mill's recent improvements, and is great news to area residents hoping to age in place. Mason Mill Park is accessible by via the PATH's South Peachtree Creek Trail [trailhead at Medlock Park, with access point on Willivee Dr.]. Mason Mill Park is located at 1340 McConnell Dr  Decatur, GA 30033 | map |.

Pink asterisk marks the proposed location of the Central DeKalb Senior Center at Mason Mill Park.
PATH trail that connects Mason Mill and Medlock Parks is highlighted in light green. Click to enlarge.

Aging in place: exploring the possibilities

At the most recent MANA community meeting, representatives from DeKalb County's Office of Senior Affairs discussed a county grant scheduled to be awarded this fall, to help develop an age-in-place community.

CHCA has a writeup composed by several people who attended the presentation.

CHCA and MANA members have formed a committee to explore this issue and have attended several presentations relating to this concept. As this committee gains a better understanding of this opportunity, look to this space and the CHCA website for calls for focus groups, surveys, and other ways to provide input or volunteer.