Residents push to restore Activity Center kitchen and make facility ADA‑compliant

Multiple residents and at least one councilmember urged the town to prioritize upgrades to the Activity Center during the March 21 CDBG public hearing. Diane Hildebrant said she wants the kitchen restored and improved accessibility: "the ramp is great, but once they get to the doors, they can’t open them." Council and staff discussed whether the town should nominate the kitchen alone or pursue a larger modernization that would include ADA-compliant doors, bathrooms and improved parking.

Councilmember Cynthia Butterworth and others argued the renovated center could generate revenue for the town and support services such as senior meals and community classes. Butterworth also proposed related investments (community garden tie-ins and meter changes to reduce water-billing distortion). SEAGO staff and the town manager noted that while CDBG regional-account implementation typically funds one large project per cycle, the town could pursue SSP or planning grants to pay for engineering and designs that would make an Activity Center construction project more competitive.