Inside the wood carving shop at the Newmarket Seniors’ Meeting Place, instructor Don Zecchino said he is inside his second home.
The seniors' facility reopened Nov. 15 for the first time since March 2020, when the pandemic began. During that time, the building temporarily became a COVID-19 assessment centre.
After 20 months away, Zecchino said it felt great to be back.
“It’s a godsend,” he said. “It’s really nice to come back.”
The centre provides recreational programs and a social gathering spot for seniors. But COVID-19 protocols made that space unavailable for some time, up until the COVID-19 assessment centre moved to 22 Prospect Street at the end of October.
Supervisor of programs Meaghan Graham said the facility did try to keep in touch with its members through online programs, calls and mailed kits to provide activities. But nothing could substitute for getting to be at the facility in person.
“We had a lot of phone calls asking when we were going to be opening,” she said. “We really did try our best to keep in contact with our members during that time, but there’s nothing like being here in this building for them."
The meeting place has existed for about 27 years, offering meals and a variety of recreation programs, including line dancing, fitness, art, and more, along with special events.
Ron Howell, who enjoys shuffleboard at the facility, said it was tiring being stuck at home.
“It drives you crazy sitting at home. This is beautiful, people are wonderful and we love it here. They treat us well,” he said. “A whole social outlet for us.”
Graham said that chance to socialize matters for local seniors.
“It’s really nice seeing them walk through the door with a smile on their face, ready to participate,” Graham said. “A lot of them have dealt with social isolation in the pandemic, so just being able to come back and be social has meant so much to a lot of them.”
The town is navigating through COVID-19 protocols at the facility, including masking and distancing. They are requiring attendees to be fully vaccinated, as they are for their other facilities, which was a point of concern for some seniors as the facility’s upcoming reopening was announced.
Although there are no mandated capacity limits, Graham said the town is limiting the capacity of its own volition. But she added they plan to open things up to more people over time.
“The protocols are changing a lot, so we’ve had to keep up with a lot of the protocols and just be able to be flexible,” she said. “We’re just trying our best to keep up with our protocols, but obviously the safety of our members is our top priority.”
The town has about 40 programs running at the facility, with more coming in the winter. The town launched its winter activity guide Nov. 29, with registrations opening for winter seniors programs Dec. 8. Graham said they also hope to start running events soon, starting with a turkey luncheon planned for Dec. 21.
Zecchino said he has been coming to the facility for 10 years.
“Truly nice coming here. Really relaxed atmosphere, a lot of people to talk to,” he said. “It’s really relaxing to come here and do your thing.”
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)