Project's completion in sight, senior center backers hosting yard sale

Project's completion in sight, senior center backers hosting yard sale

Kerry O'Brien
News Staff Writer
10/2/2013

TEMPLETON — Although a series of minor delays have pushed the new senior center project past schedule, with the facility now anticipated to open in the late winter, a yard sale is being planned for Saturday to raise funds to furnish the building.

“We ended up losing several months of ground,” said Senior Center Oversight Committee Chairman Doug Morrison. “We didn’t expect it to get as dragged out as it has — we thought we were going to be done last year. But it’s our hope to be able to open in January.”


With the oversight committee serving as the project manager and utilizing Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School students for some of the labor in order to cut costs, 10,000 square feet of space has been created for the senior center. What will be a finished, equal-size basement now exists under two modular office buildings off Bridge Street on Senior Drive.

The new center will provide space for group activities as well as private meetings, unlike the 700-square-foot Scout Hall on Patriots Road the senior center currently utilizes.

With $500,000 in funding provided by the town through a debt exclusion in 2011, Mr. Morrison said there is enough money available to open the center.

The yard sale, said Senior Center Director Bethany Loveless, will provide for extra furnishings and activities.

“(The yard sale is) to raise money for some of the equipment needed in the new senior center, such as a sound system,” she said.

The yard sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the East Templeton Elementary School building, located at 160 Patriots Road.

“We have a huge amount of stuff for the sale,” Ms. Loveless said. “Items keep pouring in and we have not even held our official drop off time yet.”

Ms. Loveless and the Friends of the Templeton Seniors will be collecting items to sell at the school building from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday.

Tables for individuals to sell items are also available for a fee.

To reserve a table or get more information, email coadirector@templeton1.org or call 978-632-4592.