Letter to the Editor: Sound Generations weighs in on Senior Center

Sound Generations is the parent company of the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Center as well as five other senior centers.

To the Editor:

The model that is being embraced by communities (geographic or ethnic) that don’t have an existing senior center that owns the property and building they are in is to integrate senior programming into a community center operated by parks and recreation or develop a multi-cultural community center that provides space for a number of immigrant/refugee groups.

Since the Shoreline-LFP Senior Center doesn’t own property, the option of being able to offer their programming in an intergenerational community center is very appealing from a financial sustainability stand point.

It is also an option that is appealing for Boomers and future generations of seniors, which are less interested in segregating by age. It is the reason that Edmonds Senior Center which actually owns its building (city owns the land) is rebranding themselves to Edmonds Water Front Center.

The seniors will have most of the space until 4:30pm and then the space becomes available to younger generations.

Stand-alone senior centers were a good model when land and construction costs were affordable, but now this option is in the rear view mirror. The Shoreline-LFP Senior Center does not own property. It rents space from the School District. The senior center has a home as long as the school district decides it is in the best interest of the school district to rent to the senior center. I would go with the bird in the hand, which is supporting Prop 1, which will give the bird a long term home.

Joanne Donohue
Sound Generations
Chief Operating Officer