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The Menlo Park City Council recently addressed a challenge coming early next year: Many of the city’s senior, youth, and other recreation services will be temporarily disrupted during construction of a new three-story community center and library in the city’s Belle Haven neighborhood. The project, funded by a philanthropic donation from Menlo Park-based tech giant Facebook, could take up to two years to complete.
To cover the gap, the council has approved the use of $1 million – to be appropriated from the Library Systems Improvement Fund – for the cost of interim services during that construction period. This would cover the continuation of key services currently offered by the senior center, Onetta Harris Community Center, and the Belle Haven Youth Center.
The council approved the funding in a 4-0 vote at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Council member Ray Mueller participated in the discussion but had to leave the meeting before the vote because of illness.
The City Council accepted Facebook’s offer for the new building on Jan. 28, with an estimate to break ground in early 2021. It will be located on the site of the current community center at 100 Terminal Ave.
During construction, some services will be either suspended or offered at a reduced level.
According to a city staff report, the following temporary changes will take effect during the community center construction:
• Operations at the Belle Haven Pool, drop-in fitness classes at the Onetta Harris Community Center, and the senior community reading rooms will be suspended.
• The senior center’s recreation classes, special events, and game room will be offered at a reduced level.
Meanwhile, the Belle Haven Youth Center’s after-school care and summer camp; the Kelly Field sports field group rentals; the Onetta Harris Community Center’s Second Harvest Program; and the senior center’s meals, transportation, health and counseling programs will all be offered at the same level.
Most services will be offered at alternative venues during construction, to be decided by the city at a later date.
The proposed new center has been billed by Facebook as a “Multi-generational Community Center and Library.” It would house a new senior center, youth center and library, as well as a gym and multipurpose room, according to a letter addressed to the City Council in December 2019 from John Tenanes, Facebook’s vice president of global facilities and real estate.
The facility, being designed by architectural firm Hart Howerton, would also include renovations to some amenities near the pools and improved pedestrian access and vehicle circulation at the site.
Seniors express concerns
At the City Council meeting, at least two dozen community members associated with the senior center were present in the audience, and many expressed how much they value the current senior center and emphasized that they would like to see it either maintained or improved.
In a letter sent to the council and signed by 45 community members, representatives from the senior center wrote: “The Community and seniors think Facebook and the City would do us a favor if they leave the buildings the way they stand now. The community and seniors know that this is a dream that will not come true for us. Facebook and the City will never stop the new construction plans. The most important thing for the seniors is to be one hundred percent sure that we will be coming back to the new building as low-income seniors. In the new building, seniors need to have all the benefits and services we have at the present.”
During the council’s discussion, council member Catherine Carlton addressed the letter directly, saying that the council intends to create an improved senior center for the community.
“We’re trying to provide better facilities for people in the long-term,” she said. “We’re also very worried about making sure that we provide as many services as possible in the same way … to not impact people’s lives unnecessarily in the process of providing something that hopefully will be really beautiful and provide fantastic services for decades to come.”
Apologies all. Although not noted in the article, I was at this City Council meeting and asked questions after staff’s presentation, but I left the meeting prior to the vote due to illness. I checked in the with the Mayor prior to leaving and she announced I was sick.
Best,
Ray
Thanks Ray, Feel better
Currently Foothill College holds nine classes at the Menlo Park Senior Center and of concern is where those classes will go once the current senior center is demolished. We have contracts with every site where our classes are taught and, to date, there has been no mention of the location where our classes will be moved to. Additionally, we are concerned about the disruption that these changes will have on our clientele who are older and, in some cases, frail. The present Senior Center, with daily classes and activities, has enriched the lives of elders in this community and provides an invaluable service to both those who attend and their families. It’s hard to understand this rush to tear down the Center when it’s not falling apart, to bring improvements that many current attendees will never be able to enjoy and to push through these drastic changes without having consulted those who will be affected beforehand.
Checked out the awesome senior center for an event in October & my folks go every week for classes. I do not get why any one would trust FB— kinda obvious they will do anything to get that property and homes. Support the seniors, city council! Totally wasteful to ruin a perfect place, but that seems to be the pathetic trend.
Belhaven is my community. This would appear to be another grab my Facebook to take my community. The irony that Facebook gives Menlo Park millions of dollars to do a project that just so happens to be right next to the current Facebook location. Just doesn’t smell right. Change your name I introduced you is rently
This is a total grab. Completely unjustified and disruptive for so many who look forward to, and depend on the social interaction, meals, and classes offered at the Menlo Park Senior Center. ‘Reduced Services?’ This is mentioned in the article- How reduced? And who decides which activities will be reduced?
Doesn’t sound like the council or FB are listening to the seniors who use the center.
That’s not good.
They don’t seem to want you to mess with their center.
Is anyone going to show respect for their request that you leave it as is?
Also, why is FB’s offer contingent on our handing them $1 mil?
If you offer to do something. Do it.
This is part of the reason so many residents were disinterested in Mr. Arrilaga’s offer to build us a newmain library–It was contingent on our giving him $20 mil first.
Nah FB!
Ms. Carlton, Are you listening to the residents??
I should say, why does the City have to anti up $1m for interupted services to get a facility our seniors do not want?
I live in Arcata, CA. When I visited a friend last summer, I sat in during two of her classes at the Senior Center. What an amazing place! Such vibrancy! There is absolutely no reason to tear down this treasure besides greed (“philanthropic donation” my ***). The trip to the Center was horrible, due to the FB Megalopolis that was truly surreal. Once we entered the Senior Center, it felt like heaven: everyone was so friendly, the Center was well taken care of with great art adoring the walls, the many class participants obviously enjoyed my friend’s classes, and everyone there clearly had a lot of appreciation for each other, the teachers, and the Center. The nearby Youth Center and Community Center – wow, seeing all those people of different ethnic backgrounds and ages having a good time together was truly wonderful. It is tragic and just plain stupid that the Menlo Park City Council would bow down to this rude giant bulldozing its way into the fine Belle Haven neighborhood. This is clearly discrimination against elders, non-white people, and low-income people in favor of profit – DISGUSTING. This is the legacy the City Council wants to leave behind, really?
I know about this issue because a friend teaches at the senior center. Through her I read the letter of center participant Ishmael. I also viewed the city council meeting in question online. I get why Facebook would like to put a good face (pardon the pun) on their takeover of the area but shouldn’t they ASK people what THEY want and need? (Perhaps affordable housing?)I haven’t heard of any senior clamoring for a new center and certainly not for the diminishment or loss of services during the 24-30 months of construction. (If you watch the city council meeting you will hear that no one knows where temporary classes might be held, how many classes might be accommodated, or how accessible to seniors with varying physical abilities these phantom sites may be.) Anyone who has ever worked with or cared for an elderly or ailing person knows how vital continuity, predictability, and familiarity are. Taking these away — especially when completely unnecessarily — from any one elder, let alone from a number of them, is to me unconscionable.
Thank you to The Almanac for covering this, and my hope is that the seniors will be represented and supported by the Menlo Park City Council. I am deeply grateful for the Menlo Park Senior Center.
As a senior and instructor there and other senior facilities, I have honestly never experienced such a place of profound community connection, compassion, creativity, love, and involvement in multi-cultural / generation events and classes. This gem of a community haven needs to stay as it is, for the sake of the seniors who have called it their “lifeline,” “paradise,” and “second home”. It is a testament to the tremendous work and care of city staff, volunteers, and the community members and seniors. It needs to be protected and appreciated, NOT demolished.
The senior center could remain where it is now, and the community / youth center and new library could still be built where the Onetta Harris community building and youth center are now. This would save the seniors from the deeply distressful moving process to a still unknown location. If they are not comfortable with the “interim site” or the possible longer commute there, they will not go, so why force this on them ? Historic buildings and Heritage Trees are given protection in Menlo Park. Please, Council members, protect this MOST valued treasure for the community.
Any architect (especially from the firm that FB hired) could change the plans. The pool, track and field are being kept as is, so do the same for the senior center which is currently fully used every week, year round, 6 hours a day, and any disruption could end that success. Most importantly, the loss of this valued place threatens the health, even the lives, of seniors, and the “new, improved” plan is an empty promise and cannot be the same.
Once all the buildings are demolished, what if something is discovered, like toxic soil, or some other reason why FB might NOT be able to build? It is possible, and there is little trust in this process which is understandable when the seniors were left out of the initial planning with FB and a few community members. We now have a total of over 100 signatures on the seniors’ letter of concerns and opposition, so will our voices count in this process now ?
As an elder who attends a senior center in a neighboring city I sympathize with the Belle Haven seniors. They have and do contribute to the quality of life in Menlo Park through volunteering in the community and paying their taxes. They should not be sacrificed to the long reach of Facebook. Surely the City can take a little extra time and care to explore some architectural options to bulldozing their center. What is everyday life about if not about the value of face-to-face interaction to achieve the most wholesome solution for all?