Older Adults- Essex Area Senior Center
Essex Area Senior Center
Effective January 1, 2024:
Essex Junction Recreation & Parks (EJRP), the recreation department that serves the City of Essex Junction, has assumed oversight of the Essex Area Senior Center (EASC).
The Town of Essex Senior Bus Service no longer serves residents of the City of Essex Junction.
Contact Info
Julie Shorter, Program Director for Older Adults
75 Maple Street
802-878-1375
jshorter@ejrp.org
Julie Shorter Hired for Older Adults Programming with EJRP
Essex Junction Recreation & Parks (EJRP) has hired Julie Shorter as the organization’s first Program Director for Older Adults. Shorter was previously a Program Coordinator for Residential Life at the University of Vermont and has been the cross country and track & field coach at Essex High School since 2021.
The position was posted in April and there were 24 applicants. Shorter was selected after two rounds of interviews and started on July 15. “I'm very excited to start working with the older adult community,” she said. “I'm eager to hear from community members on types of programming that they would like to see and work to build on what is already being offered. My biggest passion is fostering meaningful connections.”
In this role, Shorter will be overseeing programming and activities for the older adult population in the City of Essex Junction, including the Essex Area Senior Center. Senior Center programs are currently taking place at the Holy Family Church Parish Hall and Kolvoord Room at the Brownell Library, as the Senior Center has become the City municipal offices while a major renovation project takes place at Lincoln Hall over the course of the next year. New initiatives that Shorter creates and supports will take place in other EJRP and community venues.
The change to City management of the Senior Center and programming for City seniors began in January of this year as a part of the continued separation of the City of Essex Junction and Town of Essex. Previously, Town personnel fulfilled this capacity. EJRP Assistant Director Mark Brislin said they are excited to expand services for this population in the City. “Essex Junction has a long history of supporting the older adult population. We are proud to be leading that charge now at EJRP and under Julie’s leadership,” said Brislin. “She has some really great experience as an organized programmer and team player. She values and appreciates the importance of keeping this age group engaged socially, physically, and intellectually.”
Senior Center Activities and Locations
Mondays: Not Open
Tuesdays: Bingo
- 10am-1pm at Holy Family Parish Center (Main Hall or Parish LIbrary) at 28 Lincoln Street
- Bring your own lunch- lunch break at 11:30am
- Free!
Wednesdays: Walking Club
- 10:30am at Maple Street Park
- Follow signs to benches at the entrance of the park
Wednesdays: Cribbage
- 1pm-3pm Holy Family Parish Center downstairs classroom
Thursdays: Duplicate Bridge
- 12:30-4pm at Holy Family Parish Center (Main Hall or Parish Library) at 28 Lincoln Street
- Bring a partner
- Free!
Fridays: Ma Jongg
- 10-12pm at the Brownell Library (Kolvoord Room) at 6 Lincoln Street
- Free!
Renovations at Lincoln Hall
Lincoln Hall (2 Lincoln Street – the location of the City Offices, Essex CHIPS, Essex Teen Center, Essex Area Senior Center) is currently closed for renovations to the building. Based on the currently anticipated timeline, the Senior Center space will likely be available again sometime in the spring of 2025. These are good faith estimates at this time and are subject to change. During renovations to the rest of the building, the Senior Center space will serve as the temporary office for the City of Essex Junction.
The current Senior Center programming will continue to be supported in a different spaces. Tuesday and Thursday programming will be at the Holy Family Parish Center. Friday programming will be at the Brownell Library.
*Please note that the room in which programs will take place within the Holy Family Parish Center will be inconsistent. There will be various forms of communication to ensure all are aware of the specific locations for each program
SSTA Bus Option
The Special Service Transportation Agency (SSTA) offers an ADA paratransit program for residents who live within 3/4 of a mile from a fixed route bus service, provided by Green Mountain Transit (GMT), and have a disability that prevents them from walking to or waiting for a bus. Regarding the mile threshold, almost all of the City of Essex Junction qualifies with exceptions being a handful of households within neighborhoods at the western end of South Street, Cascade Street, and Dunbar Drive and a few households at the northern edge of Old Colchester Road. In order to utilize the service, an application must be completed and processed in advance (can take up to three weeks). Applicants will need a certified healthcare professional to verify their disability. The cost per ride for the user is $2.50. There are hard copies of the application materials at the Senior Center. The application and further information can be found here:
Senior Center Memberships
Due to being open only for the first three months of 2024 at Lincoln Hall, before vacating for renovations, there will be no membership fees for the Senior Center until further notice.