Excavating has begun for new senior center

Excavation work has started at the site of what will become the new Norwalk Senior Center. Workers with heavy equipment vehicles could be seen moving dirt on the site Thursday morning. "I'm super excited," said Steve Beal, executive director for Enrichment Centers for Huron County, which operates the senior center. "I drive over there every day to take a look at it. I give the seniors updates and they just cheer. They are so happy." Classical Construction out of Apple Creek is the construction company on the project. The new building should be complete by the end of 2024. The new $5 million, 15,000-square-foot project is being paid for with American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds and not funds directly from local taxpayers. The new center is being built next to the Norwalk License Bureau and Title Office building. The building will feature a commercial kitchen, space to eat, and flexible spaces for activities, among other things. Pete Welch, Huron County Building and Grounds Supervisor said "So far, so good" when asked Thursday morning how the project was coming along. He said construction should be complete by November. Beal has said the new senior center will benefit seniors in a number of ways. First, he said everything is going to be on one floor, unlike the current facility. He also said the space in the new center will be more flexible so programs can be better targeted to certain areas. Finally, he said the kitchen would be updated. "Having a more up-to-date kitchen will be huge," Beal said, adding that they currently prepare around 250 meals a day in the kitchen.