Planned improvements at the Jackson Senior Center, Don Connor Boulevard, have been submitted for consideration in the 2015 Ocean County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.
Members of the Township Council voted unanimously to pursue the grant.
Jackson Senior Center Program Administrator Sheri Silversmith, who is the township’s CDBG representative, said the improvements will make the senior center more accessible to individuals who visit the building.
According to Silversmith, the improvements include the replacement of the senior center’s heavy front doors with automatic doors that will provide easier access to the building.
Another planned improvement calls for the construction of a 24- by-34-foot addition to the back of the senior center. Silversmith said the extra space will greatly enhance the size and scope of programs that may be offered at the senior center.
“Extra space will be available for programs and events that will benefit this population,” she said. “The number of people who use the senior center on a regular basis is growing daily.”
Officials said it is unclear exactly how much funding may be secured in a grant. According to Silversmith, this year’s CDBG application is the first time that potential projects and grant funds were not limited to a specific section of Jackson. Without that limitation in place, initial projections for how much funding could come to Jackson range between $100,000 and $140,000, she said.