I would like to draw readers’ attention to information in two articles that appear on the Coronado Can website that address the proposed new senior center. One article presents the proposed site/floor plans for the new center. Between additional floor space, patios, and decks, they increase the footprint of the proposed center from the current size of approximately 3,500 square feet to anywhere between 10,000 and 12,000 square feet. This enlarged footprint takes away additional green space in the park and requires the removal of anywhere between 5-7 trees and 1-3 palms. The plans also propose to add between 1-4 trees. The second article, that provides a recap of the November 5 City Council meeting, discusses the potential increased annual operating cost of the new, enlarged facility. If I understand the Council’s discussion correctly, the cost to the City for operating the new, enlarged senior center could rise from the current $34,220 to as much as $200,000 annually.
The proponents of the new, enlarged senior center have taken a “Field of Dreams” argument in that if you build a new center, more members will come. Yet if you look at the 2010 census data, the population of Coronado has declined 21.5% between 2000 and 2010. The age group 65+ has declined 9% and the age group 18-64 has declined 30%. Further, in all the discussion of the “requirements” for the new, enlarged center, I have not seen what additional activities are planned for the seniors that are not part of the current senior program. In other words, I have not seen a justification for such a substantial increase in size.
There have been several Letters to the Editor to the Coronado Journal recently lamenting the cutting of trees on people’s properties but now the City is proposing to cut an even larger number for the new, enlarged senior center. Other letters lament the loss of the “village atmosphere”. While they are primarily addressing house sizes I contend that the loss of trees, parkland, and green space also contributes to this loss of village atmosphere.
I also question the City undertaking the additional operating cost, of up to $200,000 to run the new, enlarged facility. Current membership dues for the senior center are $30 per year. As reflected in the article about the November 5 City Council meeting, Mayor Tanaka voiced concern that senior citizens are on fixed incomes and therefore may be less able to pay for recreational activities. But in reality, aren’t most families on some sort of fixed income? Even Social Security recipients have averaged a 2% cost-of-living increase in payments between 2011 and 2014.
Further, if you look at census data, 55% of Coronado households aged 64 and older have income over $75,000; 65% of the households in the same age group have income over $50,000. (Source of this data) I am confident that if the City required the Senior Center Association to develop a fee structure that would make the operations of the new center self-sufficient, they could come up with such a fee structure. After all, they are confident the number of members will increase because of the new facility. And a large percentage of the Coronado senior population have income that would allow them to pay more than $30 per year. I recognize that all Coronado seniors do not have that level of income so the fee structure could be “needs based.” Bottom line, the senior center should be made to be more self-sufficient than it is and Coronado residents should not have to subsidize them anymore.
I am sure the residents of Coronado could come up with better uses of $200,000 per year. Some have been discussed recently in Letters to the Editor of the Coronado Journal better beach cleanup, safety solutions at the Glorietta Bay Tennis facility, street repairs, etc.
If you share my concerns, please voice them to the City Council. They will be taking this issue up again at its November 19 meeting.
