Large expansion almost ready at Warren Township Center

The Warren Township Center will more than double in size this fall when it opens a long-anticipated addition that officials say will create more space for recreation and other services for seniors.

Township Supervisor Suzanne Simpson said the 22,000-square-foot expansion will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 10. Simpson said the township's senior population has grown exponentially in recent years.

"The population of boomers is huge, and the age group we serve now runs from 55 to 102," she said. "We are offering services to two generations. It's a lot of activities to have to put on."

Simpson said the majority of the new space will be used for senior recreation and exercise classes. The classes at the current facility often have waitlists.

"That was one of the driving forces for this," she said. "This facility offers the ability to expand our offerings and lets us have classes of different sizes for people of different abilities."

Because of all the new exercise space, the existing exercise room is being converted into a coffee room where seniors can socialize.

"That's what our facility is about," Simpson said. "So people aren't so isolated; otherwise they might just be at home sitting in front of the TV."

The center now serves about 5,000 seniors each month, officials say.

Along with new recreation spaces, the addition will allow counseling sessions in a more private setting.

"Our offices used to just be open cubicles. That's not what we did this go-around," Simpson said. "We've made more offices now so that when we do financial planning we can do it privately."

The center is at 17801 W. Washington St. just outside Gurnee. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.