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Read an article and view photos by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

September 29, 2011

A host of public officials joined local senior citizens and other community members today in celebrating the grand opening of the new UCC Senior Center at Olga Village. Following on the heels of the grand opening of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM)'s Olga Village in November 2010, the completion of the UCC Senior Center can serve as an example of the importance of private-public partnerships and the strength of the UCC-HACM collaboration.

This new facility is located on Washington Street between the two senior residential facilities on UCC's campus, UCC-US Bank Village and Olga Village, but while the new facility is just a half a block away from UCC's previous Senior Center facility, it's a world away in terms of amenities, services, and modernity.

The Senior Center includes a state-of-the art computer lab, craft and project rooms, a new dining area, and improved lounge and office areas for the clients and staff. Like Olga Village, the new Senior Center features a green roof to minimize energy use, non-renewable resources use, and storm water runoff. The facility also features an on-site health clinic operated in conjunction with the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center. The intention of operating the clinic within the Senior Center is to identify early symptoms of Alzheimer’s and aid seniors in managing chronic diseases which often lead to more serious health issues when left untreated. The newly vacated Senior Center space in the lower level of the United Community Center is undergoing major renovations; the space will be converted into eight new classrooms for the Early Childhood Education Program allowing UCC to provide even more students access to quality education.

In addition to Mayor Tom Barrett and Common Council President and HACM Board Chair Willie Hines, Jr, attendees included U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Midwest Regional Administrator Antonio Riley, HACM Secretary Executive-Director Tony Pérez, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corp.'s President Beth Stohr and Senior Vice President Lynn Craghead, and UCC Executive Director Ricardo Diaz. The officials helped celebrate the grand opening by serving a meal to UCC Senior Center participants to represent the collaborative partnership that has constructed this new facility with the intention of offering continued service to Milwaukee’s elderly community.