Yet another major step towards the construction of a new senior center in Independence Township has been taken.
The Clarkston News has confirmed with Township Supervisior Dave Wagner and Superintendent Dr. Al Roberts that a deal was reached between Clarkston Schools and Independence Township regarding the land on which the new senior center is to be built.
Wagner and Roberts signed a deal on Oct. 10 to transfer ownership of the land from the school district to the township. A closing date is not yet set, but Wagner expects it to have one within the week.
Nearly four acres of land adjacent to the Independence Township Library was sold for the price of $1. With the transfer complete, Wagner said the next step is, with permission from the township board, contacting Oakland County corporations to see if any are interested in investing in the construction of the new center. Wagner said he expects the project will cost roughly $3 million to complete.
‘That’s my goal. Right now we have an architect that’s drawing a couple of renderings for us so I can go out and have something that I can show the people that I’m going to be speaking to,? said Wagner.
No timetable is establish, but Wagner said the project will likely take two years to complete.
‘I’d like to see it in a year,? said Wagner. ‘But realistically, if it happens in two years I’m thrilled.
‘The seniors have been very good to work with. They’ve been very patient. This has been talked about for so many years, it’s unbelievable.?
Both Wagner and Roberts expressed satisfaction with the deal, which Roberts said was a long time coming.
‘I’m absolutely thrilled that the board of education and the township board have partnered to do something special for our seniors citizens,? Roberts said.
‘Senior citizens contribute greatly to the community that you are, and I think they deserve a place of their own. My experience tells me that our senior citizens support their community, they support their schools, and they share the same long-term values that have made our community a special place for years and years.?
‘It’s a good day in the township,? said Wagner. ‘The township and the school district have always had a decent relationship.?
Wagner said even though there was financial conflict between the two entities in the past, he felt the deal between them is one of the biggest things to happen in the township.
‘I’m real pleased,? said Wagner. ‘It was different sitting down face-to-face and just talking about our goals and what we’re looking for.?
A small change was made to the agreement the day of signing to clarify that the senior center would be available for use ‘by residents of the school district.? The reason for the adjustment was to enure that everyone who lives within the boundaries of the school district could use the center.
‘Because we are a school district that encompasses segments of the area that are not Independence township, we felt the need to have that clause in the contract. I don’t anticipate that it’s going to be any issue for the senior center,? said Roberts.
‘We don’t want to exclude anybody,? Wagner agreed.
An improved relationship with the township is not the only benefit for the school district. Part of the deal includes the township’s ‘obligation to install, at its sole expense, approved road improvements to Clarkston Road which will provide for installation of a turning or de-acceleration lane to accomodate (the school district’s) administrative complex adjacent to the Property and the Property as developed by (the township) and for new and/or wider entryways for ingress and egress to and from (the school district’s)administrative complex off Clarkston Road.?
‘If in fact we’re going to have numbers of seniors using that center alongside the library and we now have a preschool on this site, there’s probably going to be a need for some roadwork, and the township is picking that up as part of the deal,? Roberts said.
Roberts added that he felt that was the appropriate way to handle road improvements and that in his experience work on the roads was never the school district’s responsibility.
‘Having that clause in the contract is good for the schools because it won’t be taking a chunk of money to build roads when our money should be going into working classrooms,? Roberts said.
Roberts said he didn’t want to downplay the significance of the road work the township will be doing, but that he didn’t see that part as the biggest gain to the school district.
‘I think the biggest advantage is having senior citizens next to our preschoolers, and the opportunities to do some things together and take advantage of the vast resource of knowledge that our senior citizens possess,? Roberts said.
‘Youngsters really benefit from close association to neighbors, friends and certainly parents and grandparents. This is an opportunity to bridge some generation gaps.?