There is a fabulous new spot in town for the over-55 crowd.
A place for art. A place for exercise. A place for socializing. A place for lunch. A place to simply sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. Wander down to the newly opened Colorado Springs Senior Center and check it out.
“I’m so glad that this is finally open. … It’s beautiful,” says 86-year-old patron Josephine Charlotte. “It’s just totally beautiful.”
Charlotte has been doing yoga for 60 years. When the pandemic hit, she took a hiatus and thought she’d never do it again. But when the new senior center opened, she jumped right back in. She recently participated in a weekend yoga retreat and has signed up for every yoga class on the schedule.
She encourages others to “Drop in. See the place. Pick up those flyers.”
Tom Lathrop, operations director at the center, agrees. He says being 55 or over is the sole qualification for accessing this space, which is open weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm and some weekend days. Just stop in, get a card, and enjoy. Some classes, clubs and activities charge a nominal fee; others–stopping in for a cup of coffee, working on a puzzle, morning walks, many tech classes—are free.
Bigger, Brighter, Better
The new center opened in August, replacing a 1950s-era grocery store/strip mall that had been repurposed in 1986 into the original senior center. Lathrop says the new, 23,000-square-foot facility could serve seniors for the next half century. Everything is ADA-compliant and there is plenty of parking for all.
Lathrop anticipates daily attendance of 500-600 as more people hear about how great the place is.
“It’s bigger,” he says. “It’s brighter. There is so much sunlight.”
Two women sit by a floor-to-ceiling window in the lobby area, visiting. A third (in her 90s) plops down in a comfortable chair across from them to tell them about the line dance class she just finished. (For the record, they did not do the Electric Slide, but did do the Macarena.)
Not into line dancing? Try other fitness classes like Zumba, juggling, pickleball or cardio drumming. Register for art workshops in painting, framing, cartooning or gemstone faceting. Or check out the lifelong learning classes—things like bridge, sewing, space and astronomy, technology, cooking, ukulele and estate planning.
There are dozens and dozens and dozens of classes, workshops, day trips, weekend retreats, groups, clubs and shows.
“I want everyone to know they are welcome here,” Lathrop says.
Simply Lovely
Explore the wide hallways to get a peek at more of the bustling activities.
Classrooms A, B and C are outfitted with tables and hold various classes throughout the day. Classrooms D and E typically house art classes. Then, there are the big “group” rooms at the far end of the building – sprawling spaces separated by movable walls. One of the rooms is frequently used for sewing and weaving classes, but doubles as “backstage” for the stage in the adjacent room, where performances are held.
And on Thursdays, there are dances with live bands from 1-2:30 pm. No cover; tip if you like.
Hungry? The Silver Key Connections Café offers lunch for a small fee.
The Colorado Springs Senior Center is a partnership between the city and the YMCA. The city provides the $15.3 million physical facility, while the YMCA runs the day-to-day programming and operations.
Everyone’s goal is the same… to give our community’s seniors a beautiful place to stay young at heart.
Address + Phone: 1514 N. Hancock | 719-955-3400
Website: https://seniorcenter.ppymca.org/
Facebook: @ColoradoSpringsSeniorCenter
Instagram: @PPYMCA