Pico Rivera : Senior Citizen Center Site

A special committee has selected a one-acre site near William Smith Park as its top choice for a new senior citizens center. The report from a joint committee of city and local school officials favors the site next to Smith Park because of its central location and room for parking.

Four houses occupy about half the site located in the 9200 block of Mines Avenue east of Rosemead Avenue. If the City Council accepts the committee’s recommendation, the city would have to buy the homes on Mines or acquire the property through condemnation proceedings.

A second site under consideration was criticized by the committee. A city-owned lot at the corner of Paramount Boulevard and Mines on the city’s east side is too far from the nearest bus stop, which will make it difficult for some seniors to reach the facility, the committee concluded. The committee suggested that city sell the Paramount property and use it to buy the site next to Smith Park.

The city wants to build a 10,000-square-foot building, which officials estimate will cost about $2 million. So far the city has received almost $1.3 million in state and federal grants to build the facility. City Manager Dennis Courtemarche said no decision has been made on how to finance the balance of the project.