Laurel Ave Senior Center Discussed

At our budget meetings the City Manager asked and received a City Council majority to spend $30,000 on yet another study connected to clearing some legal hurdles in a possible sale of our Senior Center building at the end of Laurel on the lake.

I strongly support not selling this public access point and gem that overlooks our magnificent Lake Michigan lakefront. We also have public ownership of 100's of feet of beachfront that is open and accessible to the public along this public parcel.

There are only three properties to the north that separate this property from the Central Avenue Beach. I would furthermore like to see a long range plan that those private beaches be acquired or controlled to connect the public laurel ave property so that a contiguous public beach can be created. This would provide the much needed space for a great swimming, sailing, and recreational harbor area for our citizens.

I think staff and some Council people look at this property as easy and quick money to cover the overspending of our government. Currently this property provides a great place for our seniors to meet and participate together in events. I also think that as we look into the future of how we fine tune our senior program, we look at the long game of how we could improve our community by providing better access for the general public to the lakefront. Current deficits can be remedied by just reducing spending instead of coming up with the quick cash.