NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — North Adams is keeping the needs of its senior citizens in mind as it develops projects and programs. 

 

The City Council on Tuesday night unanimously adopted an "age-friendly community strategy" that commits the city to improving the physical and social environment for the city's elderly.

 

"We have been looking to create a proclamation that when adopted will allow us to work more closely with the Age Friendly Community Strategic Plan set by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission," wrote Mayor Richard Alcombright in his letter to the council. "The plan is comprehensive with 8 domains of livabililty, including but not limited to, housing, transportation, employment, civic engagement, social inclusion, outdoor parks and space, etc."

 

Nearly a quarter of all Berkshire County residents are older than 60, above the state average, according to the last Census. In some towns, about half the residents are older than 50 years. 

 

The resolution falls in line with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's Vision 2020 task force on developing an age-friendly Berkshires. It directs the city to approach projects and policies with the needs of seniors in mind, such as enhancing opportunities for physical activity, assuring affordable housing, and considering their needs when developing transportation projects. 

 

Alcombright said Council on Aging Director Sandy Lamb has been heavily involved in developing the resolution and "very thoughtful through this entire process in how she can provide programming ... because seniors of today are not necessarily the seniors of 30 years ago ... the programming certainly isn't the same. She's excited about this."

 

In response to a question from Councilor Eric Buddington, he said the upshot was that the resolution strengthens the city's commitment. 

 

"It gives us more of a strong commitment to the program and to the thought process when we do this," Alcombright said, adding it was similar to how the city considers transportation projects under Complete Streets. "How do we put two feet and 18 wheels on the same street and make it work?

 

"And so when we develop a park or programming in the community, how do we make that programming work for seniors to make certain they are recognized as an important population as are our youth when we put in the skate park. ... I think that's really what it does."

 

The underconstruction UNO Park, for example, will include raised beds to make it easier for seniors to participate in gardening and a bocce court "to bring back a sport that was certainly enjoyed by many of our seniors."

 

The walking loop across from the park disrupted by installation of the dog park will be reconnected to ensure walkability for everyone. 

 

"That's just some of the things that we're doing as part of the adoption of this strategy to make the community more friendly and engaging to our senior population," the mayor said. 

 

The city has also targeted about $342,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to begin the first phase of a two-part overhaul of the Mary Spitzer Senior Center on Ashland Street. The first round of funding will largely go updating the infrastructure of the 1970s building but the second round will be more focused on more accessible programming and creating an environment for more rigorous activities. 

 

Both Buddington and Councilor Lisa Blackmer were complimentary of the efforts. 

 

"I think that accessibility for seniors and also for disabled people has a lot of side benefits we don't always appreciate," said Buddington. "I think we solve problems for a lot of groups separately. Obviously, transportation, if we make it more accessible for seniors, it's going to make it more accessible for everybody."