The City of Placentia is set to build and operate a 35,000-square-foot senior community center in Orange County’s Tri-City Regional Park, after receiving approval Dec. 6 from the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
The community center will be located on the park’s northeast corner at 2301 N. Kraemer Boulevard.
Placentia Councilwoman Rhonda Shader told The Epoch Times the city’s existing center, at fewer than 5,000 square feet inside a 100-year-old building, doesn’t satisfy the needs of its current population.
“Other community centers or senior centers in surrounding cities are in the range of approximately 30,000 square feet,” Shader said.
According to a 2019 report by the Southern California Association of Governments, Placentia had the highest population growth in the region for the 65 and older age group from 2000 to 2018, with an increase of around 3,000 people.
Shader said such is expected to continue.
“Placentia does not have a Community Center that meets the needs of our current residents, let alone address future needs,” she said. “The city has a vision for a state-of-the-art facility that could have various amenities to meet our residents’ needs today and well into the future.”
According to the lease agreement between the city and the county, alcohol will be allowed at the center but still prohibited in the park.
All construction and operational costs, once opened, will be paid for by the city.
Placentia will additionally enjoy a 75-year rent-free period with the county for the center, with the option to extend that agreement for an additional 24 years.
