Hingham Selects Bare Cove Park for New Senior Center Location
Board Unanimously Backs $34 Million Project to Meet Growing Needs of Older Residents
HINGHAM - December 10 - The Hingham Select Board has thrown its support behind a recommendation to build a new 28,000-square-foot Center for Active Living at Bare Cove Park, marking a significant step forward in addressing the town's aging population needs.
During a Dec. 10 meeting, the board heard a presentation from EDM Studio Architects and the Senior Center Building Committee, detailing plans for the $34 million facility. The project aims to replace the current 5,000-square-foot senior center, which has become inadequate for the town's growing older population.
Tom Carey, Chairman of the Center for Active Living Building Committee, announced the group's unanimous recommendation for the Bare Cove site. "The committee unanimously voted to recommend the Bare Cove Park site," Carey said. "This is a very appropriate building for what the town needs and what the future holds for us."
The proposed center would feature a single-story design with ample parking, outdoor spaces, and easy access to nearby recreational amenities. Chris Wante, project architect from EDM Studio, highlighted the site's advantages, including "connection to the nature, the connection to the park itself, the opportunities for all of the community synergies, the walking trails, the ball fields, the new pickleball courts that are proposed at the Tracer site."
Jennifer Young, director of the Center for Active Living, emphasized the urgent need for expanded facilities. "We currently serve almost 1,200 seniors over the course of the year. And again, we see residents from age 50 to 107," Young said. She noted that the current center struggles with waitlists of 20 to 40 people for some programs due to space constraints.
The new facility is designed to accommodate Hingham's growing senior population, which is projected to increase from 29% to 39% of the town's total population over the next decade. By 2035, residents aged 50 and over are expected to make up nearly half of Hingham's population.
Doug Gallow, a senior center design specialist with EDM, stressed the importance of adequate parking for the facility. "We need seven parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of building," Gallow explained, noting that the plan includes about 200 parking spaces to ensure accessibility for all users.
The Bare Cove location, while not centrally located, offers several advantages over other considered sites, including the current Town Hall area. Architects and committee members cited the ability to construct a single-story building, provide ample parking, and offer connections to existing park amenities as key factors in their recommendation.
Select Board members expressed enthusiasm for the project but raised concerns about traffic management and environmental impact. Board Chair Joe Fisher questioned the safety of the main access point, stating, "It's real dangerous. And residents have raised concerns with us about that."
The project faces several regulatory hurdles, including approvals from the National Park Service and state agencies due to the site's location on protected parkland. John Coughlin, Town Counsel, outlined the process, estimating it could take until spring 2026 to secure all necessary approvals.
Despite these challenges, the Select Board and community members present at the meeting showed strong support for moving forward with the project. Bill Ramsey, a Select Board member, emphasized the board's commitment, saying, "I am determined, and I know my colleagues share this determination, to build a Center for Active Living that will be the envy of other communities on the South Shore."
The next steps include seeking town meeting approval for design funds in spring 2025, with construction potentially beginning in summer 2026. The project team aims to present final designs and construction bids to town meeting in spring 2026 for full project approval.