On Thursday morning, Newton residents, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, and the project team for the Cooper Center for Active Living gathered for the long-awaited Cooper Center’s “Cupola Topping-Off Ceremony,” which took place at 345 Walnut St.
“We are celebrating this building today,” said Fuller. “We never had a building designed for seniors.”
The Cooper Center for Active Living is a designated space for Newton’s older adult population. The community outreach and design for the center began early in 2018, and the construction for the building started in spring 2024.
Fuller thanked Newton’s Older Adult Services, Council on Aging, city councilors, working group members for the project, and the construction partners for their hard work on the joint effort to establish the Cooper Center.
“When you drive by or go into the building, give a nod to it because it shows a shared service beacon, saying come one and come all,” said Fuller.
Josh Morse, public buildings commissioner, discussed the progress of a new senior center and the challenge of securing a suitable location.
“We certainly had some challenges finding the right location,” Morse said. “After searching hundreds of locations throughout the community over a long period of time, we ended up back to where we started, which is the site of the former senior center.”
John Rice, a former city councilor and a working group member for the Cooper Center, also shared that finding a suitable location for the center was the biggest challenge.
“Because this building could have been anywhere in the City of Newton, we looked at Newton Center, by Albemarle Playground, and we evaluated [345 Walnut St.],” said Rice. “Finding the place was a critical part, and when we finally came here, we made this site work for the building.”
Compared to the former senior center, the Cooper Center is four times larger, has accessibility benefits, and more facilities for different activities.
“The previous building was designed as a branch library in the ’30s, so it was not designed to be a senior center and presented some challenges,” said Morse. “It was not accessible. That was certainly a big one.”
“[The former center] was also woefully undersized,” said Morse. “It was about 8000 square feet, but with only about 4200 square feet of usable space. This facility has 33,000 square feet of usable space.”
The new center will have facilities including a gymnasium, walking track, art room, ceramics room, library, multiple multi-purpose rooms, adequate restrooms, a commercial kitchen, and a dining hall.
Yael Melman, a Newton resident, said she is looking forward to the opening of the building this upcoming fall.
“The old one was very small and dark and didn’t have enough room,” said Melman. “I’m excited—that’s why I’m here.”
Melman shared that she is looking forward to using the art studio, gymnasium, and other activities offered at the new Cooper Center.
“We are waiting for the new art studio to [be finished] and the exercise area,” said Melman.
She looks forward to programs that will take place at the Cooper Center.
“They have interesting lectures, programs like estate planning, and different activities which appeal to seniors,” said Melman.
John Sloat, a Newton Centre resident, expressed support for a new city project that he believes will benefit the community, especially seniors.
“It was time to recognize that the seniors have needs and needed better facilities,” said Sloat. “I think it was a good idea to have this project and recognize the demographics in the city and the needs people have.”
Sloat highlighted the location of the Cooper Center in the middle of Newtonville.
“I think it’s great to have something that’s in walking distance to so many other attractive parts of the city,” said Sloat.
The Cooper Center is anticipated to open this upcoming fall.
Rice expects high usage of the facility once it opens.
“When it opens, this building is going to be busy with so much usage by people of all ages.” Rice said.
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