Blackstone ‘catalyst.’ Why city leaders are hailing opening of new Fresno senior center
Fresno city officials on Monday introduced a new 1,800-square-foot senior center in central Fresno, intended to provide technology and fitness classes, along with cultural activities and arts appreciation, to older citizens.
Mayor Jerry Dyer and Councilmember Esmeralda Soria attended the ribbon cutting for the center at The Link @ Blackstone on Blackstone Avenue near McKinley Avenue.
Dyer said the center would enable seniors to meet new friends, socialize and participate in a variety of activities and projects.
Mental health ‘so important’
“Mental health is so important,” Dyer said. “Getting out and interacting with others who are also retired helps keep you from feeling alone or depressed.”
He called The Link project “a catalyst that gets everything going. You are going to see the day when tens of thousands of people live on Blackstone, walking around their neighborhoods, with the ability to go shopping in their neighborhood.”
Housing for 88 families
Soria said The Link provides low-cost housing for 88 families, many of them seniors. The senior center will be a place where they can go to get a hot meal, do exercises including yoga, and “build computer skills so they can stay connected.”
Another large senior center was announced in July on the site of the former Vons store between Blackstone and Gettysburg avenues, where plans call for a purpose-built complex costing $6 million.
