CHATHAM – The latest attempt at a new senior center in Chatham will be at the center on Tuesday evening of a community forum and listening session hosted by the Select Board and Council on Aging.

The 6:30 p.m. forum Tuesday at Chatham Town Hall Annex at 549 Main Street will take place in place of the regular board meeting to solicit public comment on a senior citizen center . The public can participate in person, wearing masks, or virtually via video or audio link.

The public is also encouraged to email comments on the issues or the community forum to: [email protected] Public comments will be accepted by email until 5 p.m. on Friday, November 12.

The new discussion follows the defeat at Town Meeting in June of a $ 8.4 million building on Route 28 in West Chatham after opponents expressed concern that the plan was oversized, expensive and poorly designed. The debate over a new senior center has been ongoing since 2016, following a study that found the current senior center was too small, had inadequate parking, poor ventilation and a heavy three-story layout.

Previous coverage:

On Tuesday, five questions will be asked to solicit comments from all participants. Speakers will then each have three minutes to express their opinions, concerns and / or suggestions on the next steps for a senior center.

The forum questions are:

1. Do you want a new senior center in Chatham? Why or why not?

2. What lessons have been learned from the previously proposed sites for senior citizens’ centers that have not been approved? What can we do better this time around?

3. Where should a new Chatham senior center be located? What is your reasoning?

4. What type of new programming and amenities would you like to see at the senior center?

5. What else would you like us to know about the new center for the elderly?

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Comments received during the forum and via email will be compiled for consideration by the select committee at a subsequent meeting, informing its decision on the next steps to be taken regarding an elderly center.

To join the meeting virtually with Microsoft Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_OWM1NmM0YTUtZjdhZC00ZDg3LWFhZDQtMjRiNzg3ZjgxZjli%40thread.v2/0%context=232%72 4139-a47c-97515be2b99f% 22% 2c% 22Oid% 22% 3a% 2255d15d79-2d80-4356-b726-89be5f7bf91b% 22% 7d

To call to listen to the forum: 508-945-4410, and use the conference call ID: 286 925 281 #. To join the Community Voice portal: www.chatham-ma.gov/communityvoice.

For more information on the history of the Elderly Center project, visit the New Elderly Center Project page on this website for summaries, resources, and specific meeting material.