By: Michael Arges
EAST WINDSOR – The dream of a new senior center for East Windsor and Hightstown took two more steps forward this week, as the Township Council approved applications for additional grants which would add more than half a million dollars to the project’s funding.
And a survey available this week seeks public comment of the activities and programs to be offered at the new center.
The new center will be located north of the new Wheaton Pointe seniors housing facility on Lanning Boulevard. It will be on an approximately 2.5 acre property to be donated by Presbyterian Homes.
At Tuesday’s meeting council members "approved the filing with Mercer County of the proposal in order to obtain the $500,000 grant that has been offered by Mercer County," Mayor Janice Mironov said. "At last night’s meeting we also authorized the filing of an application with the state Small Cities Grant Program in an effort to obtain additional funding for the center."
Township officials are making survey forms concerning the center available at the township municipal building, at the Senior Center on Hickory Corner and Dutch Neck Roads, and at several locations around the area where seniors live or frequent.
"We’re trying now to ensure that everybody’s aware that we are surveying so that everyone has an opportunity to give us their thoughts and their priorities and their ideas for a new center," Mayor Mironov noted.
Surveys can be mailed or left in boxes at the senior center or the municipal building, but those interested in adding their comments need to hurry.
"Surveys should be returned as soon as possible, because very soon, within the next couple of council meetings, I anticipate that we are going to be engaging an architect for the design. So it’s very helpful if we could get the information back and be able to use it and take it into account." said Mayor Mironov.
The choice of an architect "will be a review of fees, credentials, experience-and including experience with building this type of facility."
"Requests for proposals already went out to architects, and we’re receiving those and they are in the process of being evaluated," said Mayor Mironov. "Obviously it’s a major project and it’s a complex evaluation to weigh the credentials and the experience and the fees."
